Match Report: RTU leave it late to beat Hearts of Oak in 2023/24 GPL opener

Hearts of Oak’s impressive pre-season performance turned out to be inconsequential on Friday night as they began their journey in the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League season.After several months of preparation by the participating clubs in the Ghanaian top-flight league, the new season finally commenced.The Phobians clashed with Real Tamale United (RTU) in a Week 1 encounter at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.During the first half of the game, both teams displayed their best efforts, but neither managed to score before the halftime whistle.In the second half, Hearts of Oak intensified their efforts to equalize, but they found it challenging to break through the resilient defense of the home team.In a late addition to the game, Real Tamale United surprised the visitors when Owusu Afriyie scored, securing a victory for the home side.This marks the Phobians’ first match of the season and their first defeat of the season.New head coach Martin Koopman and his team will return to Accra empty-handed as they prepare for Week 2 of the league season.