Hearts of Oak beat third-tier side Ghana Football Talent 3-1 in friendly game at the ATTC Park on Friday to prepare for Wednesday’s league match against Inter Allies.
Paul Acquah, Gerald Odupong, and Gabriel Darko all scored within a blitzing opening 21 minutes, but the visitors pulled a goal back just after the break through youngster Thomas Asenso.
Ahead of the league’s resumption on Wednesday, Mohammed Polo put the final touches to his squad with a double-header friendly at the ATTC Park on Friday, where Team Hearts played consecutive games against Ghana Football Talent and SAS United.
For the first game against Ghana Football Talent, Coach Polo played with what is expected to be his first team against Inter Allies, and he handed starts to young duo Fatawu Mohammed and Hamsa Fuseini, whilst Boampong, Gnagne, Nuru completed the defensive unit. Cobbinah and the in-form Gerald Odupong led the line with Acquah and Darko on opposite flanks.
Not long after the referee’s whistle to commence the game, Polo’s side took the lead in the third minute after a near-perfect combination between Cobbinah and Acquah, with the latter angling his strike beyond the unaware goalkeeper.
Ten minutes later, Gerald Odupong doubled the lead after an incisive pass from Gabriel Darko kindly deflected into his path.
Without controlling the ball, Odupong lifted the ball into the top corner of goal in the 13th minute. That was the diminutive striker’s third goal in two friendly encounters.
Ghana Football Talent slowly pegged Hearts back after falling behind, but the home side struck during the Division 2 side’s best spell of the opening minutes.
Nuru intercepted the ball in midfield, and quickly fed Cobbinah for a classic counter attack. Cobbinah darted close to the visitor’s box before sliding Gabriel Darko through on goal, and without breaking his stride; Darko fired low into the bottom corner for the third goal of the afternoon in the 21st minute.
Thomas Asenso was on the spot to tap home a beautiful cross from Jordan Mintah, who had taken off in the channel and beat Hearts right back Hamsa Fuseini, before squaring for Asenso to finish with aplomb in the 51st minute.
Hearts XI v Ghana Football Talent: Tetteh Luggard, Hamsa Fuseini, Fatawu Mohammed, Philip Boampong, Robin Gnagne (Isaac Badu ’35), Nuru Sule, Gabriel Darko, Emmanuel Laryea, Gerald Odupong, Winful Cobbinah, Paul Acquah.
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