Karela United stun Hearts, Lions, Bechem draw
Accra Hearts of Oak suffered their biggest defeat of the season on Saturday in the Ghana Premier League – a 3-0 demolition in the hands of Karela United in their match day 23 game at the CAM Park in Ayinase.
Having struggled all season, Karela gave their fans something to cheer about when they opened the floodgates as early as the 17th minute when Emmanuel Boakye Owusu fired into the Phobian post for the opener.
Just when they appeared to be establishing their rhythm, defender Konadu Yiadom turned the ball into his own net in an attempt to make a clearance in the 32nd minute.
Hopes of a comeback for Hearts were dashed when defender Rashid Okine was given the marching off orders by the referee for an offence.
With a good lead and numerical advantage, Karela opened fired in the second half and succeeded in scoring a third goal as late as the 87th minute through Richard Berkoto move to 11thposition on the log ahead of yesterday’s games.
At the Accra Sports Stadium, high-flying Accra Lions were held to a goalless encounter in their match day 23 betPawa Premier League match.
With chances few and far, play was restricted to the midfield as both teams struggled to make meaningful incursions into each other’s goal area.
The host enjoyed greater part of the possession in the first half, controlling the game and forced Bechem United to pack the middle.
The Lions upped their game and targeted the left side of the Bechem defence where Francis Acquah made a good a clearance on the 11th minute but fumbled a minute later to present the host their first corner but the danger was cleared.
Bechem made their first incursion in the 15th minute when Emmanuel Annor delivered a cross to the Lions goal area but goalkeeper Andrews Owusu save it.
The tempo continued in the second half but with Bechem dominating the exchanges and caged the Lions in their area.
However, it was the Lions that had the closest chance in the 52nd minute when Daniel Kwame Awuni received a pass, controlled and fired at goal but the Bechem goalie, JaphetNorvienyo made a point-blank save.
Both sides effected changes in an attempt to find the back of the net but nothing changed until the five additional minutes which saw action swung from one area to the other with the goalkeepers being called to make important saves to share the spoils.
BY ANDREW NORTEY
