Hearts of Oak will have another opportunity to maintain their winning form at their favourite Accra Sports Stadium at 7 p.m tonight when they clash with Ashantigold in a Ghana Premier League Week Eight encounter.
Hearts have won once and lost twice in Accra in their last three league encounters and face a stern test to build upon their impressive lone goal victory over Dreams FC at Dawu last Sunday.
The Phobians, under Coach Edward Nii Odoom, have recovered from their poor start to the league campaign with two wins and a draw in their last six outings, giving them hope for another victory over the visiting Miners.
A home win for Hearts will give them their first consecutive win of the season and the needed enthusiasm to continue the club’s quest to end a 10-year trophy drought, while Ashantigold also seek for a third straight win over the Phobians in Accra.
Ashantigold’s dominance
The last two GPL meetings between the two sides at the Accra Sports Stadium have seen Ashantigold carrying the day with 1-0 and 3-1 victories respectively. However, both clubs are tied on two wins each with draws in their last six encounters.
Hearts are yet to beat the Miners at home in their last four encounters, putting Ashantigold in high spirits, having secured a narrow 1-0 win over Ebusua Dwarfs at Obuasi last Sunday.
Hearts’ acting coach, Edward Nii Odoom, could secure himself a substantive role in case of a convincing win over fourth-placed Ashantigold tonight.
Tough test for players
Hearts now look stabilised at the moment, following the arrival of Emmanuel Nettey, Frederick Ansah Botchway, Daniel Afriyie and goalkeeper Richard Attah.
These efficient players have settled well with the likes of skipper Fatawu Mohammed, Kofi Kordzi, Joseph Esso, Mohammed Alhassan and Raddy Ovouka to help improve their fortunes.
However, they have a tough test on hand against Ashgold’s Eric Donkor, James Akaminko, Emmanuel Owusu, Yussif Mubarik, Abdul Latif Anabila, Samed Ibrahim, Amos Addai, Benedict Wobenu Damlen, Kwadwo Amoako, Mark Agyekum and goalie Frank Boateng, who are equally determined to return home as victors.
It will certainly be a clash of tactics between Coach Odoom and Ashantigold’s Kasim Gokyildiz. While the Hearts trainer will be in charge of the club’s seventh league game of the season, the Miners’ Turkish tactician is expected to be in the dugout for the third time.
