Samartex strengthened their position at the summit of the Ghana Premier League by halting Hearts of Oak’s unbeaten streak with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi on Saturday.
Evans Osei Wusu emerged as the hero for the home side, notching both goals in a display of clinical finishing.
Hearts of Oak entered the match on the back of an impressive eight-game unbeaten run, bolstered by a resilient win over Heart of Lions despite playing with 10 men in their previous outing, but lost to a formidable side.
Osei Wusu found the back of the net with a close-range header in the 23rd minute, giving Samartex a deserved lead. Despite their early setback, Hearts of Oak rallied and managed to level the score in the 77th minute through Hamza Issah’s rebound effort.
In a bid to secure maximum points, Hearts of Oak committed more men forward in the closing stages, leaving themselves vulnerable at the back. Exploiting this opportunity, Osei Wusu struck again in the 87th minute, sealing the victory for Samartex and condemning Hearts of Oak to their first defeat under coach Aboubakar Ouattara.
With this crucial win, Samartex now enjoy a five-point lead at the league’s summit with 11 games remaining. The triumph over one of Ghana’s most successful clubs sends a clear message that Samartex is a force to be reckoned with and harbours genuine aspirations of claiming the league title.