01:44 p.m Aug 22, 1999 Eastern
CASABLANCA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Raja Casablanca (Morocco) 1
Hearts of Oak (Ghana) 0 - Result African Champions' League group one
Scorer: Redouane Elhimer 3
Halftime 1-0; Attendance: 12,000


Accra Hearts of Oak fail to clear first hurdle

Ghana?s champion Club, Accra hearts of oak, failed to clear the first hurdle in the African Champions League when they we beaten 1-0 by Raja Club of Morocco in Morocco. The Moroccans shot ahead as early as the 2nd minute, there by destabilizing the Ghanaians.

A long cross from a free kick half way in to the Ghanaians half, caught Hearts defense line rooted to the spot as they waited for the referee to signal for an off-side, when that didn?t happen, a Moroccan attacker run past the defenders to lob the ball over on-rushing keeper James Nanor.

The partisan North African crowd roared to their feet to greet the goal and cheered on as their team ran amok. The Hearts defensemen had a Herculean task containing the Raja attacking line up as they drew rings around them.

But the Phobians regained their composure after the initial blitz of the Moroccans and started to return the attack. This eased the pressure and the match generated in to a midfield encounter as both teams fought each other for the ball. Heart came close on a number of occasions but timely interception by the Moroccan defense and inaccurate shooting robbed the Phobians of the equalizer. And on one such incursion from the middle, Hearts prolific goal scorer, Joe Fameyeh saw his lob over the Raja goalie miss the pole by inches, after the goalie had failed to grab a first time short.

When play resumed in the second session, Hearts came out aggressive in search of the equalizer with the inclusion of Hearts gangling striker Osumanu Amadu, but no sooner was he sent off for ungentlemanly conduct.

The pendulum of action kept sway from one end to the other, with the Phobians struggling to get the equalizer and Raja fighting to increase the tally. But it raja that came close when a point blank bullet in late in the second half was punched to corner by hearts goalie much to the relief of the players and spectators back home. With ten men hearts lived dangerously till the referee called proceeding to a close. Accra Hearts of Oak face Shooting Stars of Nigeria in the next match on September 5th 1999.