Posted On Wednesday, 17th July 2013
Romeo Agban scored to rescued Hearts of Oak against Sundowns
Akyereko Frimpong Manson
At the Accra Sports Stadium
Surprise Moriri 74′
Romeo Agban 94′
Accra Hearts of Oak needed a second-half stoppage time equaliser from attacker Romeo Agban to nick a 1-1 drawn game against South African tourists Mamelodi Sundowns at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Experienced midfielder Surprise Moriri came off the bench to head the South Africans ahead in Osu but a magical last-gasp finish which had a touch of style saved the blushes of a much-praised Hearts of Oak side.
The obvious missing link in the Hearts side clearly had the impact on their performance on the evening before 6,000 home fans – David Duncan and lead-man Mahatma Otoo were both away from the team.
Assistant Ben Adjei took charge of the game with head coach David Duncan upgrading himself at a CAF License A Course in Prampram – Accra.
The last time the Phobians took on a South African side came in the 2004 Confederations Cup – a Bernard Don Bortey 70-yarder claimed the victory over Santos in far away South Africa.
Hearts started brightly and forced the tourists to raise their game in the early minutes of the game which they were able to do immensely as the half spanned down after the first quarter of an hour.
Their brightest chance fell to Liberian international Anthony Laffor but he produced the worst kick of the half.
Winger Oleenu Ashitey drew early plaudits from the few fans on attendance after he expertly handled two Sundowns defenders at the far right.
Owusu Bempah curled a sumptuous effort from a free-kick 20 yards out but Zambia first choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene dived to tip the ball for corner.
The Phobians continued to establish their telepathy from midfield to attack as they eased through the gears but failed to find the net.
But as the 20th minute mark drew close, the South Africans crawled into the game and competed favourably in the midfield contest.
However, in their scheme to attack, they found a formidable opposition in Ivorian Reuben Gnagne who defended gallantly.
Luggard was limited to just two tests from the Musa Nyatama and Laffor – the Liberian.
Sundowns’ dominance ended in the last ten minutes of the first half and the Ghanaian host resumed their orchestrations with Oleenu – the maestro.
Ben Adjei’s decision to replace the injured Stephen Tetteh with Kofi Abanga added some bite to the middle as the 24-year-old formed a solid partnership with Agban and Bempah.
Oleenu scrolled free down the right flank and raided the area at will.
One of such moves nearly fetched the opening goal for Hearts.
The 19-year-old went rioting in the 41st minute after taking on three defenders with a measure of crafty touches and exciting runs but he was felled before he could make any meaningful thing out of the chance but Thomas Nunoo – the center referee awarded a free-kick to Hearts.
Winful Cobbinah employed a technique which could only be imagined from Beckham or any of the game’s best free-kick contrators but Mweene equally had the antidote as he palmed the ball for a corner.
The second department produced just something different from the first in Osu as the sun died down to make the atmosphere more condusive for the game.
Ben Adjei was forced to alter his midfield as Moro Abubakar was forced off with an injury – Fatau Mohammed slotted into his place in the midfield.
Mosimane responded to the alterations in the Hearts midfield by introducing the experienced 33-year-old Surprise Mohlomolleng Moriri to take the place of Togolese international Dové Womé.
Yet still the substitution and counter-substitution did little to change the texture of the game except a defensive blunder from the Phobians which they were made to pay for by Surprise Moriri.
Hearts missed chances – with Oleenu, Bempah and Abanga all missing.
Bempah charged down the flank and delivered a powerful shot which canoed off a defender before Mweene picked the loose ball.
In the 74th minute, the visitors took the lead to silence the home fans and the expression from Ben Adjei an instant livid face.
The defence failed to live up and gave away a corner which gifted Sundowns the opener, a goal that more or less appeared tactical victory for Mosimane.
Nyatama’s corner from the right was deep and Luggard was left exposed and stranded and Moriri headed it home.
Laffor gave his place to Zungu while Mabunda was also introduced by Mosimane.
Oleenu made the best meaningful attack for Hearts in the second half as broke up the play of Sundowns, drove through but ball escaped his control and skated down the line for a throw-in.
Everybody else in the Phobian colours appeared to have given up but that was certainly not Bempah.
The former New Edubiase man unleashed a piledriver which Mweene failed to handle. The ball ricochetted off his defender before he had the chance to make a second save.
Sundowns reduced Hearts to shadow-chasers and exhibited the best passing game but they could ever manage to exhaust the remaining minutes and wind the clock down.
But they were to pay in the dying embers of the half.
Romeo Agban scored from the last kick of the game to settle the scores for Hearts.
Hearts of Oak’s line-up: Tetteh Luggard, Abdul-Aziz Abankwah, Reuben Gnage, Emmanuel Asong – Stephen Tetteh/Kofi Abanga, Owusu Bempah, Moro Abubakar, Thomas Abbey,Romeo Agban, Oleenu Ashitey – Winful Cobbinah