An impressive second half performance from Hearts of Oak ensured them their seventh victory of the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League season against Berekum Chelsea in Accra.
Hearts of Oak returned to winning ways to record a 3-1 home win over Chelsea in their match-week 17 fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Coach Slavko Matic made changes in his line up that lost to Real Tamale United last weekend as Konadu Yiadom, Gladson Awako and newly-signed attacker Albert Diego Eonde were handed starting berth.
Hearts of Oak enjoyed majority of the game with an intense pressure on the visitors for the opener in the early minutes but their efforts went futile.
The Phobians came close to open the score through Gladson Awako from a close range but his strike was fisted out by veteran goalkeeper Ernest Sowah on the 27th minute of the game.
Hearts of Oak kept pushing for the opener before the half-hour mark but the back line of Berekum Chelsea denied them from causing any havoc.
Cameroonian striker Albert Diego Eonde nearly registered his first-ever goal for the Phobians on the 38th minute but his powerful strike was calmly saved by Sowah.
Hearts of Oak defense pocketed the upfront of Berekum Chelsea who, tried their lucks through Stephen Amankona and Mezack Afriyie in the last ten minutes of the first half.
The first half ended in a scoreless draw.
Back from the break, Slavko Matic made a tactical substitution with the introduction of Benjamin Yorke, Clinton Appiah and Victor Aidoo to brighten their upfront in the second department of the match.
Hearts of Oak exercised their attacking muscles to register three late goals to secure all the needed points to return back into the top-four on the league log.
When the fans at the Accra Sports Stadium thought the fixture will be ending in a dull draw, Zakaria Fuseini failed to deal with a low-cross delivered into Berekum Chelsea’s box by Dennis Korsah on the 82nd minute. Fuseini scored at a wrong net to hand the Phobians a 1-0 lead.
Substitute Benjamin Yorke brilliantly doubled the score for Hearts of Oak after dribbling pass goalkeeper Ernest Sowah to struck the ball firmly into the back of the net on the 87th minute of the game.
On the 92nd minute, Berekum Chelsea reduced the deficit through midfield dynamo Kusi Pandrous with an audacious strike.
Burly centre-forward Victor Aidoo restored the two-goal lead for Hearts of Oak with beautiful header from cross delivered by Appiah in 94th minute to seal their famous victory at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Following the victory, Hearts of Oak have temporarily returned to second place on the Ghana Premier League log with 28 points after seventeen games.
Credit: Kickgh.com
