Hearts, Karela in stalemate

Accra Hearts of Oak and visiting Karela United failed to find the back of the net in a barren game at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Hearts will rue the many missed chances that came their way while the visitors will regret not going home with all three points when they blew away the best chance of the afternoon in the 30th minute with only the Hearts goalkeeper to beat.

Both clubs made use of all their five changes but the substitutes made little impact on the game.

Hearts probed early in search of an opener but struggled to make any meaning out of the ball when in their opponent's area. In the third minute, Skipper Gladson Awako was nearly sent off for generating a needless altercation but the midfielder escaped with a yellow card.

His side nearly got the opener in the 18th minute when forward Isaac Mensah was put through by Salifu Ibrahim but his volley was only close to the post.

Five minutes later leading marksman Daniel Afriyie Barnieh had an opportunity to put the Phobians ahead but he blasted his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Karela came alive in the 30th minute when striker Evan Adomako was teed off into the box, but with goalkeeper Richmond Aryee to beat, his low drive was deflected off its target by the left foot of the shot-stopper.

Hearts introduced Konadu Yiadom, Kwadwo Obeng Junior, Suraj Seidu, Amakwa Baafi and Junior Kaaba while Karela brought in Enock Agbenyo and Richard Berko but the substitutes could not change the tide of the game.