[ 2021-03-01 ]

Goalkeeping heroics save day for Hearts, Kotoko
Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak sold
out an exciting game but failed to translate their
brilliant display into goals as the match ended
scoreless, with the opposing goalkeepers saving a
penalty kick in either half on a dramatic
afternoon at the Accra Stadium.
Three minutes into the game, Hearts goalkeeper
Richard Attah came to his team's rescue by denying
Kotoko’s Kwame Opoku a goal from the spot after
a Heats defender hacked down Kotoko’s defender
Imoro Ibrahim in a scoring position.



Attah's rival, Razak Abalora, scored high marks as
he stood between Kotoko and conceding many goals,
especially in the first half where the Porcupine
Warriors came under incessant attacks from Hearts.
Five minutes to end the match, Abalora turned hero
as he dived to his left to deny Isaac Mensah from
snatching a late winning goal for Hearts from the
penalty spot.

Missed chances

Played in an empty stadium due to COVID-19
restrictions, the Premier League's topmost fixture
saw Hearts dominating the exchanges and running
riot in the first half following Kotoko's failure
to convert the penalty kick for an early lead.

A combination of Emmanuel Gyamfi, Kwame Opoku and
Imoro Ibrahim in the third minute saw the latter
deep in the penalty box of Hearts, but before he
could pounce on the ball, a Hearts defender hacked
him down for which referee Bless Selorm Yao
rightfully awarded a spot kick.



Opoku was handed the responsibility of putting
Kotoko ahead but saw goalkeeper Attah diving full
length to his left to grab the ball.

It was a big relief for the Phobians who began to
put their passes together and took the game to
their opponents and pressed Kotoko to their own
half with sustained pressure.

Razak torment

PEGAS RANA MOTTORS
In the eighth minute, Hearts forward Patrick
Razak, a constant thorn in the flesh of the Kotoko
defenders, meandered his way through a cluster of
Kotoko markers and delivered a shot which Abalora
dealt with.

Two minutes later, the Kotoko shot-stopper came to
the rescue of his side again by denying Hearts'
Frederic Ansah Botchway a goal-scoring opportunity
as he stretched to push the ball to safety.



Hearts continued to dominate the exchanges with
good ball possession and swift inter positional
passes which saw Kotoko defenders Christopher
Nettey, Mubarak Yusif, Imoro Ibrahim and Ismail
Abdul Ganiyu struggling to contain the Phobians

Hearts’ superiority

In spite of their superiority, the Heats attackers
found goalkeeper Abalora unyielding as he was
called to duty to save many sticky scoring
opportunities .

Against the run of play in the 35th minute,
Kotoko’s striker Naby Laye Keita messed up a
chance to put his side ahead after a good
combination with Fabio Gama.

After recess, Razak managed to get past his marker
Ibrahim but shot wide with Abalora at his mercy.
It was another relief for Kotoko who began to
sense danger and started soaking up pressure in
defence and attacking Hearts from the flanks.

In one of their attacks in the 52nd minute, Keita
came close to opening the scoring but Attah came
to his side's rescue with a good save as Kotoko
continued to look for ways to get past the
unyielding Hearts back line.

As the game was heading for a draw, a combination
between Razak and substitute Mensah saw onrushing
Abalora tripping Mensah for a penalty. To the
relief of his teammates and officials, the
goalkeeper rose to the occasion to deny Mensah a
late winner to ensure both sides shared the points
at stake.

Source - Graphic Online

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