Hearts of Oak claimed a 3-1 win against ten-time Togolese champions AC Semassi FC in a preseason friendly at the Stade Municipal de Sokodé earlier this afternoon.
This match marked the ‘Phobians’ first outing since arriving in Togo for their preseason preparations.
The opening stages of the match were cautious, with both sides opting for a conservative approach due to the lack of familiarity with each other’s style of play.
However, Hearts of Oak broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when summer signing Asamoah Boateng Afriyie, who recently joined from Nations FC, found the back of the net.
Just five minutes later, Martin Karikari doubled the lead for the Ghanaians, giving them a comfortable 2-0 advantage going into halftime.
AC Semassi showed improvement in the second half and managed to pull one back late in the game. However, Hearts of Oak quickly responded, with Isaac Frimpong restoring their two-goal cushion, sealing the 3-1 victory at full time.
Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara is likely to take away several positives from this performance as he continues to fine-tune his squad. The team will remain in Togo for the next phase of their preseason, where they are set to face reigning Togo champions ASKO Kara before concluding their tour.
