Kpando Heart of Lions inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Accra Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League on Sunday.
Nana Kwame Oppong and Ishmael Addo produced two goals in four minutes at the Kpando Stadium to hand the Phobians a second consecutive defeat.
Hearts who lost on the opening weekend of the season, made three changes to the lineup for today’s match.
Midfielders Ahmed Ramzay Yussif, Salim Adams, and Raphael Amponsah were dropped to the bench for Hussein Mohammed, Theophilus Collinson and Sanni Mohammed.
When the match started, it was Lions who nearly scored from kick-off when Abednego Tetteh’s hopeful effort from 35 yards missed the post by inches. Hearts could not match Lions’ intensity and struggled to cope with the pace of the game.
The Phobians were forced into a few late tackles early in the game. It came as no surprise when Hearts of Oak’s Mawuli Wayo was shown a yellow card for a similar challenge on Ishmael Addo.
A minute later, striker Asamoah Boateng Afriyie became the second Hearts player to be booked when he left his studs on Lions’ captain Ebenezer Abban.
The successive cautions forced Hearts to slow the tempo, and soon they created their first chance of the game. After a well-worked move, Yahaya Adraman’s deep cross found Hamza Issah, but the striker’s header posed no threat to Lions’ keeper, Lawrence Osei.
Hearts came close to scoring again when Sanni Mohammed skilfully dribbled past his marker and set up Hamza Issah inside the box. However, the striker went down, but referee Gabriel Opoku Arhin showed no sympathy and waved play on.
The Phobians finished the half stronger with several free kicks in Lions’ half. However, the visitors could not make them count.
Eight minutes after the restart, Hearts threatened to break free, but the counterattack was halted in its tracks. In the process, Emmanuel Sakyi was booked for bringing down Mawuli Wayo.
After 65 minutes, Hearts coach Aboubakar Ouattara introduced Isaac Frimpong and Salim Adams, replacing Hamza Issah and Mawuli Wayo.
From that point, Lions gained momentum in the match and nearly capitalised on their efforts. Nana Kwame Oppong found space down the right side of the Hearts defence, but Kelvin Osei Asibey swiftly cleared Oppong’s cross before Obeng Junior could pounce.
Lions went close again when substitute Mustapha Yakubu cut in onto his left and let fly. While the effort was good, it missed Benjamin Asare’s post by inches.
In the 84th minute, however, there was no denying Lions. Time stood still for all eternity as Kwesi Pong clipped a magical pass with the outside of his foot to find Nana Kwame Oppong. The substitute chest-controlled the ball delightfully before rifling past a helpless Benjamin Asare.
The goal sent the entire Kpando Municipality into a party mood as thousands of fans cheered for the team.
Before the fans could calm down from the high of the first, there was even more to celebrate as Lions carved Hearts open. This time, it was former Phobian, Kwadwo Obeng Junior who supplied the ammunition for Ishmael Addo to cap a fine team goal with a second.
The two goals were just five minutes apart.
Sunday’s result means the Phobians have suffered consecutive losses at the start of the season, while Lions remain unbeaten having drawn with Aduana on the opening day.
Lions have now kept eight clean sheets in nine home matches, since February 2024.
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