Hearts of Oak climbed into the top four of the Ghana Premier League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Karela United at Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale on Sunday.
The Phobians, celebrating their 113th anniversary, extended their winning streak to three matches under the rejuvenated leadership of coach Aboubakar Ouattara.
Hamza Issah scored the decisive goal just three minutes into the game, showcasing clinical finishing to latch onto a pass and fire Hearts of Oak into an early lead. The team’s solid defensive performance ensured they held on for the narrow win.
After a rocky start to the season, with back-to-back defeats in their opening fixtures, Ouattara has steadied the ship, earning consecutive victories over Medeama SC, Vision FC, and now Karela. The turnaround has silenced early-season doubts about his tenure, with the team showing newfound cohesion and an ability to grind out results.
The win sees Hearts leapfrog their archrivals Asante Kotoko, who are now four places below them on the league table. Hearts sit just four points behind the league leaders and are firmly in the hunt for the top spot.
Karela United, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table and face a daunting trip to Bibiani GoldStars in their next match. Hearts of Oak will look to continue their fine form when they take on Nsoatreman in Week 12.
