Hearts of Oak secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over their fierce rivals, Asante Kotoko, in the 2023 President’s Cup at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Konadu Yiadom scored the only goal of the game in the 57th minute with a well-placed header.
Konadu Yiadom did not miss his chance to draw first blood!@HeartsOfOakGH 1 : 0 @AsanteKotoko_SC
— StarTimes Ghana (@startimesghana) March 5, 2023
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Both teams had great opportunities to score early on, but the first half ended in a stalemate. In the second half, Hearts of Oak came out stronger, and their persistence paid off when Yiadom found the back of the net. Kotoko tried to mount a comeback, but Hearts’ defence stood strong to secure the win.
The victory not only secures the trophy for Hearts, but also gives them an advantage in the Ghana Premier League table. The Phobians are now fourth in the table with 31 points, the same as Kotoko but ahead due to a better head-to-head record.
The match was not without controversy as Hearts of Oak head coach Slavko Matic, who was sacked from training ahead of the match, was not on the bench. Assistant coach David Ocloo took his place.