Hearts of Oak delivered a spirited performance to defeat Medeama S.C. 2-0 in the Ghana Premier League at the newly inaugurated T & A Park.
Makeshift right-back Emmanuel Amankwaah and recent signing Mawuli Wayo scored the crucial goals for the Phobians on Friday night.
Hearts head coach Aboubakar Ouattara made two changes to the previous week’s lineup, replacing Ahmed Ramzy with Salim Adams in central midfield and moving Yaw Baafi out of his right-back position in favor of Emmanuel Amankwaah, while Ransford Mensah returned to the team.
On the other side, Medeama’s coach Nebojsa Kapoor kept the same starting lineup that drew 2-2 with Aduana Stars.
The first half saw limited chances, with the only close call coming when Theophilus Collinson’s header was tipped over the bar after 11 minutes. The initial 30 minutes were largely uneventful.
After the break, Medeama intensified their attack, especially down the left wing. However, Hearts’ defense remained solid, successfully containing Medeama’s threats, particularly from Abdul Fatawu Sulemana and Kofi Babil.
Ten minutes into the second half, Sulemana found a gap in the penalty area, but Collinson’s swift move closed down David Boison, preventing a major threat. Shortly after, Diawusie Taylor and Babil attempted a combination play, but Kelvin Osei-Asibey’s timely intervention thwarted their efforts.
Hearts also had opportunities, though Saani Mohammed and Hussein Mohammed couldn’t capitalize on their chances.
The deadlock was broken in the 65th minute when Hamza Issa slipped past Nurudeen Abdulai, setting up Kwabena Boateng, who nudged the ball past Appiah Kubi for the first goal, igniting celebrations from Hearts fans.
With the lead, Hearts shifted to a defensive strategy, denying Medeama any chances to equalize. Osei-Asibey anchored the defense, successfully fending off Medeama’s attempts.
Near the end, Mawuli Wayo sealed the win by breaking through the center-backs and heading home a long ball from Benjamin Asare. Wayo’s follow-up ensured the ball crossed the line, amplifying the cheers from the crowd.
Despite having eight minutes to respond, Medeama couldn’t find a way back. The victory moved Hearts of Oak to seventh in the league with 12 points from nine games, while Medeama stayed in third with 15 points ahead of the weekend fixtures.