Hearts of Oak scored two goals without reply to complete a season double over King Faisal in the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League (GPL) Sunday night.
The Phobians won their first meeting 2-1 at Techiman last December.
After a barren first half, coach Samuel Boadu’s men produced two well-worked goals to claim all three points at the Accra Sports Stadium.
King Faisal managed to weather an early storm of pressure and were left off the hook in the 25th minute as Salifu Ibrahim’s free-kick came off the crossbar.
In the 36th minute, the visitors came close when Razak Toufiq shot across the face of goal but Zubairu Ibrahim could not connect well enough to turn the ball in from close range.
King Faisal had a penalty call ignored in the 52nd minute. Substitute Kwame Peprah’s flick was picked by Zubairu Ibrahim but the forward was stopped from striking the ball by a challenge from Hearts captain Fatawu Mohammed.
Coach Boadu, soon introduced Daniel Afriyie Barnieh for Victor Aidoo and the tricky forward almost made an instant impact as he headed the ball down into the path of Kwadwo Obeng Jnr but the latter’s strike went into the crossbar.
Hearts eventually got their lead in the 57th minute.
Salifu Ibrahim skillfully picked the run of Barnieh who – having been closed down goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim – teed up for Obeng Jnr to tuck home from 5 yards
Daniel Barnieh ensured Hearts were home and dry with his goal a minute from time, arriving to hit home a pass from Salifu Ibrahim who had been picked out from the back by skipper Fatawu Mohammed.
The win sees fourth-placed Hearts of Oak go 37 points and keep pace with top-placed arch-rivals Asante Kotoko who also won at the weekend to go 41.
📸🗣| The STANDINGS – 2020/21 #GPLwk23 (with a game undecided):
– Kotoko back on top, Olympics and Medeama follow:
1️⃣. Asante Kotoko
2️⃣. Olympics
3️⃣. Medeama
4️⃣. Hearts
……….
1️⃣6️⃣. Legon Cities*
1️⃣7️⃣. King Faisal
1️⃣8️⃣. Inter Allies.#FootyGPL | https://t.co/x4UJ3Gk4sE | pic.twitter.com/gdpzoIXqY6
— Footy-Ghana.com 🇬🇭 (@FootyGhana) May 9, 2021
