ACCRA Hearts of Oak recorded their sixth win of the season following a hard fought 1-0 victory over visiting Nations FC in their Ghana Premier League Match day 14 game played at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon on Saturday.
A 76th minute header by Hamza Issah proved to be the decisive goal to return the Phobians to winning ways and pushed them into the top four zone.
Having suffered a 2-0 defeat against Karela United on the road, coupled with their exit from the MTN FA Cup following a shock defeat to Division Two side, True Life FC, the Phobians needed to turn things around at home to win back their supporters.
Playing virtually to empty seats, they knew they needed nothing short of a win to convince their fans to return to the stands.
Nations FC had the first shot of the game which went off target in the opening seconds of the game.
But steadily, the Phobians returned to the second half invigorated, resorting to wing play with Ransford Mensah and Mohammed Hussein delivering incisive and dangerous crosses into the goal area.
This, no doubt, created a lot of tensed moments for Nations FC at the back as the Phobians probed for the opener.
Issah had his moments in the game which he should have scored from but failed to turn those opportunities into goals, leaving Head Coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, livid on the touchline.
In the 53rd minute, Issah hit a volley which came off the crossbar before heading the rebound over the bar.
A minute later, he again wasted a cross from Hussein, an opportunity fans thought was going to be the opener.
Issah finally cooled down tempers of Coach Didi Dramani and the Hearts faithful when he headed home a cross from substitute George Paaku in the 69th minute.
Four minutes later, Issah was unlucky as he saw his goal bound strike cleared off the line by defender Kwame Boakye.
The final kick of the game nearly caused the Phobians the points as a free kick delivered by Boakye was missed in the six yard box by towering defender Isaac Botchway, much to the relief of the Phobian bench.
The victory pushed Hearts of Oak within three points of Aduana FC, who they face next at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park in Dormaa Ahenkro while Nations FC will be at the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex to welcome Young Apostles.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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