Ouattara relieved Hearts progressed to Ghana FA Cup round of 16

Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara expressed relief after his team secured a spot in the last 16 of the Ghana FA Cup, overcoming a lower-tier side with a 3-0 win.

The record winners of the competition had to wait until the second half to find their rhythm, scoring all three goals in a dominant display at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Mawuli Wayo broke the deadlock shortly after the break with a composed finish, setting the tone for the rest of the match. Enoch Asubonteng doubled the lead with a well-taken goal before Asamoah Boateng added a third to seal the victory.

Speaking after the match, Ouattara admitted his team faced challenges in the first half.

“All the games in the world are difficult. Today we faced another challenge, and we won the first half.

“The first half was very difficult for us, and for the first 15 minutes or so, we were under some pressure to win the ball because we couldn’t control the game.

“It’s a knockout in the FA Cup. We thank God we qualified for the next stage.”

Hearts of Oak will next play away to FC Samartex in match week 17 of the Ghana Premier League on Sunday, January 19, 2024.