That was not vintage Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium, but the Champion Club of Ghana yesterday conjured what was just enough to beat Nigerian champions, Lobi Stars, 2-0 and take yet another giant step towards their Africa football championship dream.

Kenneth Sarpong's first half reaction to a loose rebound and Emmanuel Kuffour's finish to Charles Taylor's second half pullout proved the only landmarks in a game Hearts had under absolute control.

With the high expectation of the packed stadium, following a mammoth and re-assuring rally in Accra the day before, as well as the financial prospects on hand, Hearts charged early at their opponents with the awareness that they needed none of the lukewarm performance that characterised their domestic outings lately.

The crowd responded with a thunderous ovation to that electrifying opening when a one-touch play with Sarpong put Ishmael Addo in an excellent position to score. But the re-crowned goal-king of Ghana blew the opportunity when he tried to squeeze the ball to the far post.

The whole stadium now a huge choir, booming with pro-Hearts cheers, Ishmael Addo looked an unfamiliar victim of the flowing tension and it showed in the countless chances he squandered, beginning with that second minute drama.

Six minutes later, a through pass from Emmanuel Kuffour brought Ishmael one on one against Lobi goalkeeper Emmanuel Abah, but again the magic eluded Ghana's leading striker.

It took 22 minutes of sustained pressure, two other stunning misses by Ishmael Addo and then Kenneth Sarpong's swift reaction to Kuffour's shot for Hearts to turn a troubled moment into a joyous occasion.

Hearts’ consistent pounding of the Lobi area had been via the right side of attack, that part of the Nigerian defence most vulnerable and Sarpong, Ishmael and Kuffour had all operated well from there. In the 22nd minute, Kuffour shot through that part of the Lobi defence, clearly beating the goalkeeper but the shot hit the post and Sarpong made no mistake with the rebound.

With goalkeeper Sammy Adjei on virtual holiday, Agyeman Duah's brawn proving a perfect supplement to Stephen Tetteh's brains at the centre of defence and the lateral defensive players: Amankwaah Mireku and Jacob Nettey extending their brilliance deep into Lobi territory, Hearts displayed no willingness of surrendering their thin lead.

However, all their attempt at widening the lead was undermined by their own disastrous marksmanship and the brilliance of goalkeeper Abah.

Lobi's other strong point was skipper Njoh Njoh, a competitive defender who stood tall in the face of Hearts' first half onslaught.

Hearts were still in supreme command after recess but instead of converting that supremacy into a wider lead, the conduct of team strikers, with Ishmael Addo's the most astonishing, created a hero out of Nigerian goalkeeper Emmanuel Abah.

Their own folly making them hysterical, Ishmael earned the yellow card in the 67th minute after the misses had prompted angry reactions from the crowd.

But Lobi were to suffer the severer setback when one of their key pillars in defence, Joseph Ikwoche was marched off for a second offence.

That numerical advantage was what Charles Taylor exploited on the right side of attack in the 80th minute and released a shot across for Emmanuel Kuffour to score Hearts’ second goal and strengthen their grip on the group.

Hearts: Sammy Adjei, Amankwaah Mireku, Jacob Nettey, Agyeman Duah, Stephen Tetteh, Adjah Tetteh, Kenneth Sarpong/ Edmond Copson, Charles Allotey, Ishmael Addo, Emmanuel Kuffour, Charles Taylor/Emmanuel Donkor.