May 31, 1999

Accra Ghana (PANA) - Defending champions Accra Hearts of Oak climbed to the top of Ghana's Premier football league table Sunday when they defeated Kumasi Asante Kotoko 1-0 in Kumasi as the first round officially came to an end.

Hearts, who have one outstanding match, now have 30 points, three clear of Sekondi Hassaacas and Accra Great Olympics.

Though Hearts played with 10 men for about 80 minutes when Osuman Amadu was sent off for hitting Kotoko's play-maker, Adams Amando, they endeared themselves to the packed to capacity stadium with their fast work rate.

They were quicker and faster with their moves, creating holes in the leaky Kotoko defence.

The persistent attacks by Hearts yielded result in the 24 minute when Edmund Copson put them ahead in a sticky goal mouth action in the 24th minute.

After the goal, Hearts took complete command of the game as they kept Kotoko reeling with stabbing raids but they could not increase the tally.

Dethroned league leaders Accra Great Olympics lost their second match in a row when they were beaten 1-0 by a 10-man King Faisal Babies at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Joe Louis made victory certain for the visitors when he scored the only goal in the 55th minute.

The folowing are the full results: [ST] Olympics 0 King Faisal Babies 1 Kotoko 0 Hearts 1 Goldfields 1 Dwarfs 0 Afienya 0 Okwawu 2 Power FC 0 Hasaacas 1 Bofoakwa 1 Ghapoha 0 All Blacks 2 RTU 1

The following is the league table at the end of the first round:

P Pts GD Hearts 14 30 '15 Hasaacas 14 27 '11 Olympics 15 27 '4 Goldfields 14 24 '7 Kotoko 15 24 '6 Dwarfs 14 21 '2 Okwawu 13 20 '3 All Blacks 15 19 -1 Power 15 19 -1 Liberty 14 19 -2 RTU 15 18 '1 Dawu 14 18 -1 King Faisal 15 17 '0 Bofoakwa 15 16 -8 Ghapoha 14 14 -7 Afienya 14 7 -15 [ET]