The 108th Ghana Premier League meeting between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko ended 1-0 in favour of the home side at the Accra Sports Stadium in a matchweek 31 encounter.
The Porcupines came into the match from the back of a 2-1 home win against Karela United in the Premier League whereas the Phobians also came into the match at the back of a 2-1 victory over Legon Cities.
The match was anticipated to be a tough one with the form both clubs were in but it proved otherwise in the first half. Hearts looked the better side in the first half, creating some decent opportunities but failed to beat goalkeeper Kwame Baah.
The home side came close to opening the scoring through captain Fatawu Mohammed but his shot from close range hit the post before the referee Daniel Laryea whistled to end the first half.
After recess, Hearts of Oak began from where they left off and piled pressure on the Porcupines before it paid off in the 65th-minute when Afriyie Barnieh pounced on a deflected shot from Ansah Botchway to bend it within the reach of Kwame Baah to break the deadlock.
The Phobians kept pushing for more goals but the Porcupines defended well to keep the scoreline at 1-0.
Augustine Okrah had a glorious chance but failed to equalize for the Reds as his touch was calmly grabbed by goalkeeper Richard Attah in the 78th-minute.
The win means that Samuel Boadu’s side are three points ahead of Asante Kotoko with the Phobians having 59 points as against the Porcupines’ 56 points.
