Accra Hearts of Oak just love the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. For years, the Phobians have thrived at the home of their fiercest rivals and delivered another outstanding performance on Sunday to revive their own season and pile further pressure on Kumasi Asante Kotoko boss Paa Kwasi Fabian.
The 1-0 win for the Phobians, achieved with Patrick Razak goal was the reward for the Phobians in a game that featured chances for both sides and was high on entertainment.
Here are the four major take aways..
This is still the game that matters in Ghana
These days you often hear how the standard in games between the two teams has dropped, how it doesn’t matter again and how they have been overtaken by others down the years. It didn’t feel like that on Sunday. The crowd was good, the entertainment value and some of the football after a first half when the passes just didn’t add up was good quality too.
The attention on social media, the overall quality and the fact that this weekend, it was the only thing that mattered suggested it is still the most important game in town. Don’t believe the obituaries just yet.
Hearts should do everything to hold unto Patrick Razak
It was Razak’s day in Kumasi. Whenever he touched the ball, the Kotoko defence seemed to backtrack. When they did in one instance, he went for it, dropping the shoulder to create space before firing a right footed effort past Felix Annan. Before then he almost scored the goal of the season when he flicked the ball in the air, delivered an overhead kick that was saved by Annan. Everything he touched threatene to turn gold for the Phobians. If they needed any evidence that they must hold unto him his fourth goal this season and overall performance provided a compelling one.
Ben Mensah looks good in the Hearts post
Patrick Razak will get most of the plaudits for the Hearts victory but the Phobians young shot stopper Ben Mensah delivered a compelling display on his own. He was decisive when he stepped out of his goal and produced his best save when he pushed Yacouba’s free kick unto the crossbar to keep Hearts in the game. Big matches like these has a way on imparting on careers. Mensah’s performance suggested he has the heart to go all the way.
Kotoko coach Paa Kwasi Fabian gave Burkina Faso international Yacouba Sonnie his debut in the Ghana premier league and left quiet an impression. He seemed to occupy the Kotoko defence the most and was a handful from set pieces. He should have scored from four yards out but headed over the bar and was only denied by a fine Ben Mensah stop in the second half. You get a sense that when he gets a better feel of the Ghana scene, he will be a handful.
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