Match Report: Hearts of Oak 0-0 Kotoko – Wasteful Phobians share spoils with Porcupine Warriors in Super Clash
Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko settled for a scoreless drawn game in the Ghana Premier League Super Clash on Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
This becomes the 38th time Hearts of Oak vs Kotoko games has produced a draw.
The Phobians created a series of scoring opportunities in the first half but failed to take advantage of their chances as Richard Attah came to their rescue twice in critical situations as Cameroonian Etouga Mbella and Richmond Lamptey threatened the goal of the reigning champions.
Kwadwo Obeng Junior hit the woodwork in the first-half while Afriyie Barnieh and Gladson Awako all wasted chances.
The Phobians were the first to threaten the Porcupine Warriors’ area when the fluidity of Hearts of Oak’s transitional play from a brilliant switch from Richard Attah found Barnieh who back-flicked the ball to the path of Awako. The former TP Mazembe man pulled the trigger from just inside the box but Danlad proved equal to the task as he deflected the ball away for a corner.
Moments later, Dennis Korsah and Muntari combined to set up Barnieh but the attacker unbelievably fired over the bar from close range.
In the 10th minute, Muntari should have scored the first goal for Hearts when he received a Salim Adams overhead pass in an unmarked space. But, the ex-Sunderland man attempted a bicycle kick which failed him.
Kotoko responded 5 minutes later when Mbella flicked the ball in a great vision following a brilliant run by Augustine Agyepong.
Moments later Kotoko expected from the jaws of conceding the first goal when Kwadwo Obeng Junior agonisingly watched his kick bounce off the near post after beating Danlad in between the sticks. Richard Attah delivered an artful ball from his area which found Barnieh and the attacker located the path of his teammates. In an unmarked space, Obeng fired, beat the keeper but not the goalpost.
Hearts maintained their dominance over Kotoko for most parts of the first half but, the Phobians failed to turn their dominance into goals before the first stanza came to an end.
Hearts of Oak head coach Samuel Boadu started Sulley Muntari in midfield alongside Gladson Awako while he named Kwadwo Obeng Junior and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh in the Phobians’ attack.
Meanwhile, his Kotoko counterpart Prosper Narteh Ogum preferred to start the Cameroonian duo of George Mfegue and Franck Mbella in his front-line.
Kotoko began the second-half strongly and Cameroonian Etouga should have scored the opening goal of the clash when he headed a George Mfegue weighted cross wide even though he was unmarked.
The Porcupine Warriors continued to ask all the questions as Richmond Lamptey became the next player to come close. Patrick Asmah breached the Hearts of Oak backline and delivered a line-breaking pass to the path of Lamptey and the former Inter Allies midfielder thrust a piercing drive from inside the box. But, Richard Attah made a big save.
Attah denied Lamptey for the second time when he made superb two-attempt stops to keep the Phobians afloat.
Getting close to the hour mark, Prosper Narteh withdrew Dickson Afoakwah and introduced teenager Isaac Oppong in his place.
Justice Blay climbed off the bench to replace Mudasiru Salifu while Richard Boadu came on for Augustine Agyepong.
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Source: Sports
