A spirited seocnd half performance from the Porcupine Warriors ensured they humiliate Hearts 3-2 at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Sunday.
Linda Mtange Don and Martin Karikari were on target for the Phobians with Isaac Oppong and a brace from Stephen Dese Mukwala getting the goals for the visitors to ensure the picked all points at stake.
Below are four things we learned from the game
Kelvin Osei Assibey's form superb form continues
Assibey has always been something of an enigma at Hearts. It’s just his first season but he’s already on his way to becoming a cult-hero. His talent is undoubted. He was resolute, composed and focused all the day.
He was confident in starting Hearts' attacks from the back but unfortunately for him, his centre back partner, Kofi Agbesimah didn’t come to party hence the misunderstanding between the duo culminating in the goals scored by the visitors. All the goals the Ghanaian champions conceded were through individual errors which have been avoided on any good day but….
The defensive problems under Abdul Rahim Bashiru are not going to be cured over night but in Kelvin Osei Assibey, they do have one of the best in the country.
Richmond Lamptey was Unplayable
What a performance this was from Richmond Lamptey. Right from the start of the match, the young midfielder was simply unstoppable. That especially goes for his second half performance, as Lamptey looked like he could do anything he wanted. Hearts' midfielders must have felt like they were in a nightmare at some points.
Lamptey pulled of dribbles and runs past his markers to constantly create problems for the hosts. This performance will be the one to show to everyone who think Lamptey is not as good as the Kotoko fans believe he is. A special day indeed!
Toothless Hearts set for another trophyless season
In general, Hearts were OK on Sunday afternoon, until they got to the final third. There were plenty of huffing and puffing from Abdul Rahim Bashiru's men but very little in the way of cutting edge in the box.
One or two chances went begging in the early monitors of the game with Linda Mtange Don as the worst culprit. The second half was no different from the first as Hearts' attack kept spurning chances that came their way. With this defeat, the Phobians are winless their last six games. They've lost 2, won 1 and drawn 3.
Richmond Ayi had a day to forget
He is arguably his side's trusted goal custodian. His consistent spellbindingly displays for Hearts ensured he remained the club’s first choice goalkeeper.
Quite paradoxically, the agile goalie failed to replicate the form that made him the club’s most trusted netminder as he was his club’s weakest link on Sunday. He was maligned for two of the goals his club conceded against Asante Kotoko in that 3-2 loss.
No one seems to know why he played with such diffidence in that game. This will certainly go down as Ayi's saddest day in his career and a day he will quickly love to forget.
