Hearts of Oak made a resounding start to their Ghana Premier League campaign, thrashing Berekum Chelsea 4-0 in their Matchday 1 encounter at the University of Ghana Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The emphatic victory ended the Phobians’ decade-long wait for a Matchday 1 win in the Ghana Premier League, with their last opening-day victory coming in 2016.
Experienced striker John Antwi Duku was at the heart of the victory, scoring twice to set Hearts on their way to a comfortable win.
The Phobians have endured several unsuccessful attempts to break the opening-day jinx under different managers over the years. However, under head coach Nebojsa Kapor, the Rainbow Club finally put the unwanted record to rest in emphatic fashion.
Hearts dominated proceedings from the opening whistle and took the lead as early as the fifth minute. Antwi reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the box to score a scrappy opener and give his side a deserved advantage.
The veteran striker doubled the lead before the break, heading home a well-delivered cross from new signing Alex Banso to give Hearts a commanding 2-0 lead at halftime.
Berekum Chelsea returned from the break with greater intensity and showed glimpses of attacking promise, but they lacked the cutting edge needed to convert their opportunities. The Bibires created several chances but were unable to find a consolation goal.
Hearts, meanwhile, remained dangerous on the counter and eventually added a third through Ivorian international Mamadou Kader.
Kader announced his arrival in style when he connected with a beautiful cross from Rasford Mensah, calmly finishing to extend the Phobians’ advantage.
Hearts continued to pile on the pressure and were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of the encounter. Defender Ali Mohammed stepped up and confidently converted from the spot to complete the 4-0 rout.
The final whistle confirmed a dominant opening-day victory for Hearts of Oak, who collected all three points in emphatic fashion, while Berekum Chelsea were left to reflect on a difficult afternoon.
In Matchday 2, Hearts of Oak will travel to Bibiani to face GoldStars, while Berekum Chelsea will host Dreams FC at the Golden City Park.
By: Emmanuel Opoku