Accra Hearts of Oak have pipped Bechem United by a lone goal to keep their title ambitions in check. Star performer Salifu Ibrahim got the only for coach Samuel Boadu’s side in Bechem.
Accra Hearts of Oak are now 40 points on the Ghana Premier League table, a point below leaders Asante Kotoko, who will be playing tomorrow.
Details
Bechem United ushered the game into play, with a clear mandate to open the scoring card. Caleb Amankwaa went down but got back to action for Accra Hearts of Oak.
Bechem United began to put passes together but Emmanuel Annie’s run was not quick enough to beat Mohammed Alhassan.
Five minutes into play, Fatawu Mohammed curved a delivery to Kojo Obeng Junior but was not alert enough to connect.
Bechem United almost shot themselves into the lead in the 7th minutes, Hafiz Konkoni’s header found the chest of goalkeeper Richard Attah.
Patrick Razak announced his presence with a run but was cleared off for a corner kick.
In the 11th minutes, Bechem United has a free kick, but the delivery by Emmanuel Asante was dealt with by Robert Addo for Accra Hearts of Oak.
The game later turned to be dominated by passes from both sides.
Salifu Ibrahim, in the 16th minutes, whipped a free kick, which was spilled out by goalkeeper Haruna Aziz but the rebound was wasted.
In the 18th minutes, Kojo Obeng Junior got his through Foster Appiah, but his cross was headed away by Emmanuel Asante.
Salifu Ibrahim was set up by Caleb Amankwaa, but his shot at goal soared over the bar.
Accra Hearts of Oak kept exploring for spaces to benefit but the cutting edge got missing.
Twene Francis of Bechem United received the early booking, after a cynical tackle on Salifu Ibrahim, in the 23rd minutes.
Accra Hearts of Oak kept probing for the opener as Raddy Ovouka provided a cross but the connect was missing.
Bechem United came in with free kick which found the head of Hafiz Konkoni but went off target.
Both sides continued to throw away goal bound chances after half hour mark.
In the 38th minutes, Twene Francis unleashed a long range shot, only for goalkeeper Richard Attah to spill it out, but he was quick to grab it.
Bechem United started to heat up for the opener, stitching passes forward but Mohamed Alhassan and Robert Addo remained calm to clear them.
Few minutes to end the first half, lead striker Hafiz Konkoni went in for a challenge but got injured and had to be rushed off to the hospital.
The first half ended 0 – 0 as both teams did not utilize chances that fell their way.
Accra Hearts of Oak set the second half into play as they kept their composure to combine passes but there was no urgency upfront.
Bechem United responded in similar fashion but got trapped in attack.
In the 50th minutes, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh came on for Victor Aidoo.
Fatawu Mohammed gave away a precious chance to Emmanuel Annor, who had a free of which the delivery got into the net, only to be ruled offside against Bechem United, in the 58th minutes.
Charles Mensah came close to goal for Bechem United but his effort went wide off.
Bechem United pushed for first goal intensive moves but the cutting edge was off.
Abdul Manaf Umar got a better way off his marker, delivered an incisive pass to Salifu Ibrahim, who ran through defenders to beat goalkeeper Haruna Aziz of Bechem United, for the first goal, in the 75th minutes.
Bechem United kept hunting for the equalizer but Moahmmed Alhassan and Robert Addo will not give way.
Accra Hearts of Oak guarded their only goal to end the game 1 – 0 in Bechem.
Content created by: Abdul-Jalilu
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