Good evening and welcome to the live text commentary session from the footballghana.com team for the Ghana Premier League match between Hearst of Oak and Great Olympics.
The capital-based clubs are locking horns at the Accra Sports Stadium this evening in an encounter that is serving as a matchday 11 fixture in the ongoing 2020/2021 Ghanaian top-flight league campaign.
Separated by just a point on the Ghana Premier League standings, both teams are poised to amass the maximum points to ensure they climb higher on the log at the end of the matchday.
Ahead of kick-off, Hearts of Oak head coach Kosta Papic has named a strong starting eleven to do battle on behalf of the Phobians.
TEAM NEWS! 📝 | Coach Kosta Papic makes four 4️⃣ changes from the team that drew 0-0 with Berekum Chelsea in our last match.
Nettey, Razak, Manaf and Nurudeen are all back to the starting lineup in this evening’s game. pic.twitter.com/XDvZ3TzG5x
— Phobians (@HeartsOfOakGH) January 30, 2021
For Great Olympics, coach Yaw Preko has named a fierce first eleven that has captain Gladson Awako controlling the midfield of the team.
Our XI to face the Landguards.
AGOSU MASHIE!!!!! #OlyDADE pic.twitter.com/V3q1DimJcL
— GREAT OLYMPICS (@AccraGtOlympics) January 30, 2021
We are 30 minutes away from kick-off at the Accra Sports Stadium under floodlights. Both teams are on the pitch for the warm-up.
Hearts of Oak players receive cheers from fans as they return back to the dressing room to get ready for the match. It is fair to say that it is the same reception for players of Great Olympics who follow into their dressing room.
With the warm-up out of the way, all is set for kick-off.
Kick-off:
And we are off at the Accra Sports Stadium with Great Olympics kicking us off. Who gets the first win?
3' Beautiful exchanges from the Hearts of Oak team. We are in for a match this evening.
5' It is now time for Great Olympics to mount an attack. This could be dangerous. Hearts of Oak clear the ball out of danger eventually.
5' Hearts of Oak's Frederick Ansah-Botchway has been outstanding in the early minutes of play. His turns, passing, vision for a pass receives cheers from the fans at the Stadium. Great start to the derby.
7' Patrick Razak latches onto a sweet pass in the area of Great Olympics. He struggles to control but a well-timed tackle sees Great Olympics clear their lines
9' Defender Fatawu Mohammed picks a loose ball just in front of the Olympics area. His shot under pressure from the defense of the opposition misses the target.
10' Hearts of Oak 0-0 Great Olympics.
14' It's a free-kick for Great Olympics in a dangerous position.
Goallllll. Who else? Gladson Awako scores from a direct free-kick. What a strike. Hearts of Oak 0-1 Great Olympics.
17' It's another goal at the Accra Sports Stadium. Maxwell Abbey doubles the lead for Great Olympics.
20' Hearts of Oak now playing at a slow pace. They need to be cautious or risk losing by a bigger margin.
25' The game has dragged a bit with the home team trying to find a way to breach the defense of the visitors.
30' Oh good sequence of play from the Phobians. One-touch passes put winger Patrick Razak into space. His final shot is unable to cause any threat, unfortunately.
33' Things are just not working for Hearts. Leading by two goals, Great Olympics slow down the game whenever they can. Will there be a way back for the Phobians?
35' Chance!! A header from Emmanuel Nettey after connecting to a free-kick hits the upright before going out of play.
40' We have done 40 minutes at the Accra Sports Stadium. The scoreline is unchanged with Hearts of Oak trailing 2-0 to Olympics.
42' After struggling to string around passes, Hearts of Oak's Emmanuel Nettey sees his shot deflect out of play for a corner kick. It is however wasted.
45' Free-kick for Hearts of Oak in a dangerous position. Could this be a goal?
Emmanuel Nettey goes for the power drive but miscues. A corner for Hearts. Wasted, unfortunately.
Halftime.
And that will be all for the first half. We will be back after 15 minutes for the second half.
The two teams are back on the pitch for the second half of the game. How will this one end?
46' The second half is underway.
47' Patrick Razak forces a save from Great Olympics goalkeeper Sead Salifu.
Substitution for Hearts of Oak: Benjamin Afutu replaces Emmanuel Nettey.
49' Chance!!! Umar Manaf tries his effort from distance but misses the target. It will be a goal kick for Great Olympics.
50' Olympics mounts a counter-attack after winning possession in the half of Hearts of Oak. They, unfortunately, waste what could have been a third goal.
60' A Great Olympics player is down and receiving medical attention. Temporal hold-up here.
62' It is a free-kick for Great Olympics in a dangerous area. Gladson Awako tries to float one in but it is well dealt with.
68' Penalty shouts after Raddy Ovouka goes down in the area of Great Olympics is waved off by referee Charles Bulu.
70' Series of corner kicks awarded to Hearts of Oak fails to fetch a goal. The Phobians continue to trail by two goals.
75' Change! Great Olympics winger Samuel Quaye dinks one over Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Richmond Ayi. His effort unluckily sails over the bar.
80' It has been end to end action in the last five minutes. Hearts of Oak have come close but still lacking that cutting edge to get on the scoresheet.
85' We are playing the final five minutes of today's encounter. Can Hearts of Oak come from behind to earn a point?
90' It's all over at the Accra Sports Stadium. Great Olympics with a 2-0 win against Hearts of Oak.
That will be all for this evening. Click on the home page for reactions from the match