Hearts of Oak Impress with 3-1 Win Over Zilina Africa in Pre-Season Warm-Up

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Accra Hearts of Oak continued their pre-season preparations in style with an impressive 3-1 triumph over Zilina Africa in a friendly encounter, as the team intensifies its build-up to the 2025/26 football season.

 

The Phobians began brightly, asserting early dominance by controlling possession and pressing high up the pitch. Their attacking intent was soon rewarded when Kwabena Boateng broke the deadlock with a composed finish, rounding off a fluid team move that sliced through the Zilina defence.

 

Zilina Africa responded with determination, gradually gaining momentum and pushing forward in search of an equaliser. Their efforts paid off midway through the game when they were awarded a penalty following a foul inside the box. The resulting spot kick was expertly converted to level the score at 1-1.

Hearts of Oak reclaimed the lead shortly after the interval. A well-delivered corner was met by Wayo, who rose highest to power a header past the Zilina goalkeeper, making it 2-1.

 

The match maintained a high tempo, with Hearts sustaining their attacking pressure. Their persistence paid off once more when a foul on the edge of the penalty area earned them a free kick. Karikari stepped up and curled a sensational effort into the top corner, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Phobians.

 

It was a positive outing for the Accra-based side, who exhibited attacking flair, tactical discipline, and mental resilience—key qualities the technical team aims to refine ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Author

  • My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

    I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

    Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

    Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

    I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

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