Aduana hold Hearts to keep top spot
Accra Hearts of Oak fought from behind to share honours with league leaders, Aduana Stars, in a six-goal thriller that ended in multiple drama at the Accra Sports Stadium.
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The 3-3 draw ensured Aduana kept their position on top of the log after title chasers WAFA were held to a scoreless draw by Accra Great Olympics at Sogakope, with Hearts remaining in third position. But it was poor officiating by referee Prince Amoah that became the major talking point as he had to leave the pitch under heavy security escort to escape the fury of Hearts fans who felt undone by some decisions by the referee.
It was a game the Phobians had to fight from behind on three occasions to draw parity as Daniel Darkwah, Derrick Sasraku and Nathaniel Asamoah scored for the visiting side, with Winful Cobbinah, Thomas Abbey and Kwame Kizito scoring vital goals to save the day for the Frank Nuttall’s side.
Aduana resorted to delay antics during the second half with goalkeeper Stephen Adams as the main culprit. He feigned injuries on the slightest contact and was eventually booed by the Hearts fans on the last injury claim that prompted his substitution on a stretcher after he had conceded three goals.
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The drama continued on the pitch as referee Amoah’s inconsistent decisions saw Hearts’ Scottish coach, Nuttall, making a number of complaints to the fourth referee. It attracted the anger of the home fans who openly protested in the dying embers of the game when Thomas Abbey’s penalty appeal was ignored after he was shoved off in the Aduana goal area.
It took just five minutes for the Dormaa-Ahenkro club to break the deadlock when Leonard Tawiah of Hearts was dispossessed of the ball by Noah Martey who put Darkwah in scoring range to release a curled shot from the far left into the top right corner of the net.
Seven minutes later, Hearts cancelled the lead when Cobbinah stabbed the ball home from close range after a series of unsuccessful scoring attempts by Patrick Razak and Samudeen Ibrahim.
When Hearts felt they were in control, the visitors caught them by surprise again after a poor defensive work by centre-back, Robin Gnagne, which allowed Sasraku to punish them.
Abbey cancelled the lead in the 50th minute when he followed through Samudeen’s long pass and outpaced his markers before slotting the ball home.
It was a ding-dong affair as Asamoah again silenced the home fans by restoring the lead for Aduana in the 79th minute, but Kizito rescued a late point for Hearts three minutes to full time when he headed home Richard Akrofi’s free kick to end the match 3-3.
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Sharks bite Kotoko at Elmina
Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s title aspirations were dealt a blow after suffering a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Elmina Sharks at the Papa Kwesi Nduom Stadium.
The Porcupine Warriors produced an uninspiring performance and fell to Joseph Mensah’s 62nd minute goal as Sharks claimed the three vital points to move into eighth position while Kotoko remained in fourth position on the league log, nine points behind leaders Aduana Stars.
* At the Redbull Arena at Sogakope, WAFA SC dropped valuable points at home after drawing 0-0 with struggling Accra Great Olympics in a match which the academy lads, playing without captain Gideon Waja and striker Komla Agbeniandan, were robbed of attacking flair, wasted numerous scoring opportunities.