Martin Karikari's late left-footed strike fires Hearts of Oak to a 1-0 win and a third straight victory in the Ghana Premier League.
Hearts of Oak are rolling in the Ghana Premier League, and Martin Karikari's 82nd-minute left-footed strike is the reason. The forward settled a tense Matchday 8 clash with Basake Holy Stars at the University of Ghana Stadium, sealing a 1-0 win and a third consecutive league victory for the Phobians.
It was far from straightforward. Hearts carved out enough chances to lead early but kept running into frustration. Ransford Mensah's free-kick rattled the crossbar, and Holy Stars scrambled to clear another effort off their goal line as the visitors clung on.
Karikari finally broke the deadlock late on, finishing a well-worked move with a clean left-footed strike that left the Holy Stars defence with no answer. Coach Nebojsa Kapor was delighted with the way the goal came about, calling it "very good action and very good finishing" and admitting his side had struggled for a breakthrough for most of the night.
Kapor credited his squad's patience and belief, saying the players trusted they could and would win even as the clock ticked down. He also thanked the Hearts faithful for their backing. With momentum building and three wins on the bounce, the Phobians will fancy their chances of pushing further up the table.
