Hearts of Oak bounced back to winning form after grinding out a 1-0 victory against Samartex FC at the University of Ghana Stadium, recording consecutive home wins.
The decisive moment came in the first half when Hamza Issah found the net, a goal that ultimately separated the two sides in a lively Ghana Premier League contest.
Following a strong away draw against Aduana Stars, Hearts coach Didi Dramani made just one change to his starting eleven, bringing in Theophilus Collison for David Oppong Afrane. Samartex, led by coach Christopher Ennin, also lined up strongly, with former Hearts defender Kofi Agbesimah anchoring the defence alongside Roland Grippman.
The visitors started with intent and nearly took an early lead, but Emmanuel Mamah’s close-range effort was well handled by the Hearts defence. The Phobians responded with more purpose and broke the deadlock when Mawuli Wayo won possession high up the pitch, allowing Hamza Issah to finish calmly. It was Issah’s fourth goal of the season.
Hearts pushed for a second goal before the break. Karikari came close with a curling effort that was pushed out by the Samartex goalkeeper, while Christian Boateng later tested Hearts keeper Solomon Agabasi at the other end. Mawuli Wayo missed a clear chance to extend the lead, as Hearts went into halftime holding a slim advantage.
After the restart, the hosts continued to apply pressure. George Paaku wasted a good opportunity, firing wide from a promising position, while Samartex also created chances but failed to convert.
Theophilus Collison nearly sealed the win for Hearts, but his attempted lob landed on top of the net. Despite late pressure from Samartex, Hearts stayed compact and saw out the game to claim all three points.
The win moves Hearts of Oak up to second place on the league table, subject to the remaining fixtures. They will conclude the first round of the season with an away trip to Tarkwa to face Medeama SC.
