Togolese champions ASKO de Kara pipped Ghanaian champions Hearts of Oak in an international friendly in Lome.
ASKO dominated the Phobians in the early stages of the game. Striker Ouro-Bodi Harissou forced goalkeeper Richard Baidoo into a save to deny the hosts from taking the lead.
Hearts of Oak quickly recovered in the first quarter of an hour to develop a football made of small passes, which troubled the home team.
ASKO later took over the game and worried the Hearts defense led by Mohammed Alhassan. Abbuy Thierry came close to opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. From that moment, ASKO had the better exchanges until goalkeeper Amen Agbagla miscalculated a ball which fell into Patrick Razak whose volley narrowly missed the post in the 28th-minute.
Magnim Ataba broke the dreadlock in the 32nd-minute after connecting a Ouro-Bodi Harissou beautiful pass to end the first half 1-0 in favour of the hosts.
The second half begun with ASKO eager to consolidate their lead. Abbuy Thierry, Sewonou Éli and Ouro-Nimini Nazife who had just entered, gave cause for concern to the Phobian defense.
Hearts of Oak in their quest to equalize saw Ibrahim Salifu firing a heavy strike on goalkeeper Amen Agbagla in the 77th minute but could not trouble the goalie who was outstanding throughout the game.
The Phobians kept pushing for the equalizer but all their efforts were thwarted by the resilient ASKO defense.
The game ended 1-0 in favour of the home side.
The Phobians are preparing for their Caf Champions League first preliminary round tie against Guinea’s Club Industriel de Kamsar later this month while the 6-time Togo champions are also prepping for their Caf Confederation Cup first preliminary round tie against Mauritania’s ASAC Concorde this coming Thursday.
How both team lined up
ASKO de Kara
23 – AGBAGLA Amen
6 – ATABA Magnim
11 – OURO-BODI Harissou
12 – SEWONOU Eli
15 – SAMA Halimou
17 – OURO-NIMINI Bassitou
19 – GNAMA Akaté
21 – OZOU Kossi Jean
22 – Madjedje Djalilou
25 – Novon Efoe
28 – ABBUY Thierry
Substitutes
16 – SAMA Mahadiou
2 – OURO-NIMINI Nazife
5 – AGBOTCHO Magnim
8 – AGBEZUDO Claude
9 – NAPO Sonhaye
14 – OUATALABOU Moutalabou
24 – Gavor Robert
HEARTS OF OAK
1 – Richard Baidoo
4 – Isaac Mensah
5 – Ansah Botchwey
6 – William Dankyi
8 – Caleb Amankwah
10 – Emmanuel Nettey
14 – Robert Addo Sowah
15 – Mohamed Alhassan
17 – Patrick Razak
21 – Ibrahim Salifu
25 – Larry Sumaila
Substitutes
29 – James Sewornu
35 – Salim Adams
40 – Enoch Asubonteng
22 – Richmond Ayi
16 – Benjamin Mensah
39 – Seidu Suraj
32 – Basit Abdul Anwar
By Myke Alonso
