Hearts Redeem Image

Tottering Accra Hearts of Oak beat their recent nemesis, Liberty Professionals, by a lone goal in their second win in five games at the El-Wak Stadium yesterday.

Hearts, who have lost twice within a month to the Dansoman boys, benefited from a second minute red card shown to young Rabiu Mohammed by referee W. L. Quaye to score.

Joseph Tachie-Mensah rose to nod home the winner in the third minute from a Francis Bossman free kick to bring the stadium alive.

But that was all Hearts, who were determined to cancel a 0-3 loss to the same side in a recent SWAG Cup match, could produce. Eric Gawu led Hearts' wasteful attacking force as their defence struggled to hold strong Kwadwo Asamoah.

Although numerically disadvantaged, Liberty fought hard to cancel the goal, and on a number of occasions pinned Hearts to their own half, but the finishing was thwarted.

The day would have gone well for wasteful Gawu if he had been a little focussed. Twice in the first half he flew the ball over the cross bar with only goalkeeper Patrick Antwi to beat and was indecisive on a number of occasions in the second half when it got to the crunch.

Referee Quaye infuriated both teams with his inconsistent judgements, but Hearts fans thought they were most offended.

They charged on him at the entrance of the dressing room but he was shielded by batton-wielding police men. Yet the fans did not give up as they banged on the door and verbally assaulted him.

Story by Daniel Kenu