Accra Hearts of Oak SC won their first Premier League trophy in over a decade since they last won it in 2009 under Serbian coach, Kosta Papic.
A season of ups and downs did not stop the great Oak Tree from standing strong even in the driest and trying times to turn things around and end the campaign as Ghana’s best team by lifting the ultimate on Saturday, July 17 to write a new chapter in the club’s history.
The Phobians, this season had a terrible start to their season under coach Edward Nii Odoom coupled with some off-the-pitch incidents including the team’s inability to undergo the Covid-19 test on time.
Notwithstanding all these problems, the Phobians started enjoying some good football and results after they brought in the coach who won them their last trophy, Kostadin Papic.
Papic brought some sense of believe and urgency into the team’s play and all of a sudden, the Rainbow Boys begun to enjoy results match after match as they started climbing the ladder.
Then came a defeat to Aduana Stars FC in Dormaa and a horrible performance against Berekum Chelsea in Berekum and things started returning to the old ways as it was before Papic took over.
Hearts of Oak’s problems kept doubling up both on and off the pitch as they went four games without a win in the league-leading to the sack of the Serbian tactician.
The sacking of Papic led to a lot of chaos in the team as club captain, Fatawu Mohammed, who was a bench warmer before Papic took over and brought him back into the team, accused the Serbian of not making selection of players based on merits but rather on favoritism.
After all was said and done, Hearts brought in youth team coach, Nii Noi to steer the affairs of the team and performed well in four games, winning three and picking up one draw in the process.
Despite an impressive start to his senior coaching career, decision-makers of the Oak Tree club snatched Tarkwa-based Medeama SC coach, Samuel Boadu just before the end of the first round of the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League season.
The decision by the coach to join a sinking Hearts of Oak ship came as a surprise to many as they believed, Boadu was on his way to win the Yellow and Mauves first Premier League trophy in the club’s history.
The new coach, Boadu, fresh from Tarkwa helped the Phobians to emphatically defeat the Acade Boys, West African Football Academy (WAFA) SC, 4-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium to begin a new era with hope and mixed feelings.
After beating WAFA 4-0 followed by a 2-0 revenge win over Aduana Stars FC, the Hearts manager suffered his first defeat against Ashantigold SC at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi got some fans agitating about Boadu’s ability to lead a big club to success.
Boadu and his boys bounced back against relegation-threatened side, Inter Allies with a slim and unconvincing 1-0 win which was followed by a 1-1 stalemate in Anyinase against Karela United FC at the CAM park and a 2-0 defeat at the Theater of Dreams in Dawu to Dreams FC got some fans talking and disbelieving in the coach’s tactics.
The defeat to Dreams FC turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Phobians as they embarked on a five game winning streak which took them top of the league table which followed with an entertaining 1-1 draw against City rivals Accra Great Olympics to end their winning sequence.
After the setback against Olympics who at the time were firing from all cylinders, Hearts returned to winning ways with a 2-0 over Boadu’s former team, Medeama SC in Accra and followed it up with wins against Legon Cities FC and the icing on the cake victory over arch-rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC to take a three points lead.
Though the Phobians could not win any of their last three Premier League matches after defeating Asante Kotoko, their rivals’ inability to win their games and suffering defeat at Bechem United handed the Phobians their first league trophy in 12 years after drawing 1-1 with Liberty Professionals FC.
Hearts lost their 14 games unbeaten run on the final day of their 2020-21 Ghana Premier League season away at the Red Bull Arena in Sogakope to the Academy Boys, West African Football Academy (WAFA) SC.
The Rainbow Boys has won the 2020-21 league going into the last game and the loss to WAFA had a little or no effect on their trophy celebration as they lifted the Ghana Premier League title for the first time since 2009.
From an unconvincing start to the season to a worthy champions, that’s how the Rainbow Boys overcame their poor season into a successful campaign which takes them back to the ‘Table of Men’, the 2021-22 CAF Champions League, a competition they won with ease in the year 2000 with their ’64 Battalions.
Players like Mohammed Alhassan, Benjamin Afutu Kotey Raddy Ovouka, Kojo Obeng Jnr and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been incredibly helpful and consistent with their performances in the league which ensured a trophy-winning campaign.
HEARTS OF OAK SEASON IN SUMMARY
MATCHES PLAYED – 34
POINTS GAINED – 61
WINS – 17
HOME WINS – 12
AWAY WINS – 5
LOSSES – 7
HOME LOSES – 1
AWAY LOSES – 6
DRAWS – 10
HOME DRAWS – 4
AWAY DRAWS – 6
GOALS SCORED – 45
HOME GOALS SCORED – 34
HOME GOALS CONCEDED – 9
AWAY GOALS SCORED – 11
AWAY GOALS CONCEDED – 14
TOTAL GOALS CONCEDED – 23
GOAL DIFFERENCE – +22
CLEAN SHEETS – 12
HIGHEST WIN – Hears of Oak 6-1 Bechem United
BIGGEST LOSS – (0-2) Aduana Stars, Dreams, Great Olympics
TOP SCORERS
K. Obeng Jnr – 10
V. Aidoo – 7
B. Afutu – 5
I. Mensah – 4
D. Barnieh – 3
I. Salifu – 3
M. Sarpong – 3
M. Umar – 3
F. Ansah – 2
R. Ovouka – 1
M. Lawali – 1
E. Nettey – 1
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HOME RESULTS
Hearts of Oak 2-2 Ashantigold
Hearts of Oak 0-0 Karela
Hearts of Oak 3-0 Dreams
Hearts of Oak 6-1 Bechem
Hearts of Oak 2-0 XI Wonders
Hearts of Oak 0-2 Olympics
Hearts of Oak 1-1 L. Cities
Hearts of Oak 3-2 Dwarfs
Hearts of Oak 4-0 WAFA
Hearts of Oak 2-0 Aduana
Hearts of Oak 1-0 Inter Allies
Hearts of Oak 2-0 King Faisal
Hearts of Oak 2-0 E. Sharks
Hearts of Oak 2-0 B. Chelsea
Hearts of Oak 2-0 Medeama
Hearts of Oak 1-0 Asante Kotoko
Hearts of Oak 1-1 Liberty
AWAY RESULTS
Inter Allies 1-0 Hearts of Oak
Aduana 2-0 Hearts of Oak
K. Faisal 1-2 Hearts of Oak
E. Sharks 1-1 Hearts of Oak
B. Chelsea 0-0 Hearts of Oak
Medeama 1-0 Hearts of Oak
Liberty 0-1 Hearts of Oak
A. Kotoko 0-0 Hearts of Oak
Ashantigold 1-0 Hearts of Oak
Karela 1-1 Hearts of Oak
Dreams 2-0 Hearts of Oak
Bechem 0-1 Hearts Of Oak
XI Wonders 0-1 Hearts of Oak
Olympics 1-1 Hearts of Oak
Legon Cities 1-2 Hearts of Oak
Dwarfs 1-1 Hearts of Oak
WAFA 1-0 Hearts of Oak
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TEAM
GOALKEEPERS
16 Benjamin Mensah
30 Richard Attah
22 Richmond Ayi
1 Benjamin Nana Yeboah
DEFENDERS
2 Fatawu Abdul Mohammed
25 Larry Sumaila
26 Raddy Ovouka Machel
6 William Ntori Denkyi
77 Caleb Amankwah
14 Robert Addo Sowah
15 Mohammed Alhassan
23 Nuru Sulley
29 James Sewornu
MIDFIELDERS
8 Benjamin Afutu Kotey
5 Frederick Ansah Botchway
10 Emmanuel Nettey
31 Salifu Ibrahim
27 Abdul Manaf Umar
38 Bernard Obuo
7 Mamani Lawali
24 Nureeden Abdul Aziz
FORWARDS
18 Daniel Afriyie Barbie
17 Patrick Razak
12 Dominic Eshun
20 Eric Dizan
11 Michelle Sarpong
21 Isaac Mensah
13 Kwadwo Obeng Jnr
9 Abednego Tetteh
3 Victor Aidoo
80 Daniel Yeboah
TECHNICAL TEAM
Samuel Boadu – HEAD COACH
Hamza Obeng Mohammed – ASSISTANT COACH
Samuel Nii Noi – ASSISTANT COACH 2
Eric Amponsah – GOALKEEPERS COACH
W O Tandoh – WELFARE/FITNESS
Ayikwei Mensah – PHYSIOTHERAPIST
David Kojo Tetteh – PHYSIOTHERAPIST
