Confederation Cup Match Report: Hearts of Oak 2-1 Olympique de Ngor - Masterful Fiamenyo strikes winner for Phobians
By El Akyereko Frimpong
Follow Akyereko on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial
Ghanaian giants Accra Hearts of Oak fought from behind to defeat Senegalese side Olympique de Ngor 2-1 in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.
Gilbert Fiamenyo climbed off the bench to wave his magic for Hearts of Oak as he set up a goal before sensationally rounding up the goalkeeper to snatch victory for the maiden Confederation Cup winners.
Robert Robert Badiane shot the visitors upfront with 34th minute at the Accra Sports Stadium. But Fiamenyo stepped into the game in the second-half replacing Selasi Adjei and winning a free-kick which resulted in the equaliser by Foovi Aguidi in the 64th minute.
He then brilliantly claimed the ball inside the box and rounded up the visitors keeper with six minutes left.
Hearts of Oak head coach rang changes to his side that drew against Ebusua Dwarfs in the Ghana Premier League last weekend.
Striker Gilbert Fiamenyo was benched while Togolese international forward Foovi Aguidi was handed a starting berth in attack along with Selasi Adjei.
Youngster Isaac Mensah and was also named in the line up along with South African international Shaun Mason October.
Ngor made their intentions clear from the onset as they made a string of double incursions in the opening minutes of the halve. Hearts of Oak took time to respond to the threats posed by their Senegalese guest.
Hearts warmed themselves slowly into the third of Ngor as Foovi Aguidi won a foul few meters away from the box in the tenth minute. Foovi crashed his effort against the human wall set up by Ngor.
In the 18th minute, Selasi Adjei stole the ball and drove into the box, but the ball was stuck in his feet before fighting to shoot feebly at goal.
Selasi Adjei was once again presented with the brightest opportunity of the first-half when he wriggled his way through two defenders inside the box but lack of vision failed him as he wasted the chance.
The Senegalese side took the lead through Robert Badiane in the 34th minute. He steered through before lifting the ball past Soulama with Gnagne, Fatau Mohammed and Boampong all beaten.
Herbert Addo began the second half by taking off Selasi Adjei and bringing on Gilbert Fiamenyo while Emmanuel Laryea lost his place to the experienced Kofi Abanga.
The Phobians tried to express early dominance as the influence of Fiamenyo and Abanga told. In one split of brilliance, the former Ghana U20 forward broke loose, dummied two markers before laying the ball for Abanga who shot wide.
After Abanga's miss, Foovi was next to join the dots of unbelievable misses. A hapless clearance by an Ngor defender gifted the Togolese international a chance to pull even for Hearts but fans jeered in disbelief as his effort went wide.
Hearts' persistence paid off. Fiamenyo once again employed his strong physique and skill to dummy two defenders and won a foul. South African international Shaun October nearly scored from the direct free-kick but his effort crashed into the cross bar and Foovi arrived just in time to bury the ball home.
Gilbert Fiamenyo displayed magic to round up the keeper at the dying embers to snatch victory for the Phobians.
Readers Comment
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james Tetteh
9 years ago
Never say die indeed. Operation Kick ngor out has started. Phoooobiaaa
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