Accra Hearts of Oak recovered from two goals down at half-time to beat Swedru All Blacks 4-3 on penalties in an entertaining club friendly at the Kpobiman Astro Turf.
The match finished 2-2 after regulation time, with Hearts of Oak forced to rely on a shootout after Swedru All Blacks had taken control during a strong opening half.
Swedru All Blacks, known as the ‘Ozii Ozaa’ lads, produced the more effective performance before the break and were rewarded with a two-goal advantage. Hearts of Oak, also known as the Phobians, struggled to prevent their opponents from establishing a commanding position as the first half progressed.
The two-goal deficit left Hearts of Oak facing the prospect of defeat, but the Phobians returned after half-time with a significantly improved display. Their response was helped by a couple of substitutions, which enabled them to regain control of the contest and begin a determined comeback.
New signing Alex Banso then gave Hearts of Oak a route back into the match. He found the net with a brilliant curling effort, cutting Swedru All Blacks’ lead and restoring hope for the Phobians.
The equaliser followed in the second half when Mohammed Hussein produced a moment of individual brilliance. His goal brought Hearts of Oak level at 2-2 and completed the recovery from their difficult first-half position.
With the two teams now separated by nothing on the scoreboard, both sides had the opportunity to settle the match before the end of regulation time. However, neither could find the decisive goal, meaning the outcome had to be determined from the penalty spot.
Hearts of Oak held their nerve in the shootout to secure a 4-3 victory. The result completed a memorable comeback for the Phobians, who had trailed by two goals at the interval before turning the match around in the second half.
The victory came in a competitive and entertaining encounter at the Kpobiman Astro Turf, where Swedru All Blacks had appeared to be in control after their impressive first-half showing. Hearts of Oak’s improved performance after the break, combined with the impact of their substitutions, changed the direction of the match and allowed them to force the contest into penalties.
Alex Banso’s curling finish proved to be the starting point of the revival, while Mohammed Hussein’s individual effort ensured the teams entered the decisive phase level. Hearts of Oak then completed the turnaround by converting the shootout more effectively, winning 4-3 and claiming victory in the club friendly.
