Follow the LIVE play-by-play of the titanic 2017 FA Cup final clash between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko at the Tamale Sports Stadium on GHANAsoccernet.com
Hello good morning and welcome to the Tamale Sports Stadium for the historic FA Cup final clash between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
We bring you updates from now till kickoff at 3pm.
Stay connected and don't miss a read.
This is the first time both team are playing each other in a cup final outside their traditional home grounds of Kumasi and Accra.
300 security personnel have been deployed for the Hearts-Kotoko FA Cup final clash
BNI 20 ARMY 30 POLICE 180 ST. JOHNS 20 RED CROSS 18 NATIONAL AMBULANCE 2 AMBULANCES FIRE SERVICE 30
The atmosphere is charging as the clock keeps tick tocking with an hour and 30 minutes to kickoff.
Very soon the teams will be on the field for the warm ups.
Hearts XI against Kotoko
Ben Mensah (GK) Fatawu Mohammed Joshua Otoo Vincent Atinga Richard Akrofi Leonard Tawiah Malik Akowuah Patrick Razak Winful Cobbina Kwame Kizito Thomas Abbey (C)
Kotoko XI VS Hearts
Felix Annan Amos Frimpong Augustine Sefah Ahmed Adams Awal Mohammed Jackson Owusu Seth Opare Emmanuel Gyamfi Kwame Boahene Obed Owusu Sadick Adams
Warm ups over. Getting ready to set the ball rolling
Colourful! Kotoko and Hearts players, technical team and management dressed in their traditional fugus
A minute of silence to be observed for former goalkeeper of both teams Soulama Abdoulaye who died two days ago before kickoff
01'- KICKOFF
02'- GOAL!!!!! Sadick Adams break the virginity of the game under two minutes. A blunder from Akrofi was capitalised on by Gyamfi who connected beautifully to Sadick and the net danced.
05'- Hearts under unbearable pressure. 3rd corner kick for Kotoko.
06'- Corner taken, Ben Mensah slips but makes quick amends to clear his mess.
07'- Hearts starting attack now. Attack breaks down. Kotoko with a quick one but Opare slows down. Ball travels over the line. Goal kick for Hearts
08'- Hearts on the break. Kizito with an advantage but his shoT is too feeble to kill a bird
09'- Free kick for Kotoko as Sadick suffers a tackle.
#Beautiful game so far.
11'- Sadick Adams so far proving his worth. Thunderous strike from Obed Owusu but Ben Mensah lives up to the task. Hearts attacking
13'- Free kick for Kotoko. Hearts players obviously unhappy. Dangerous spot for the Phobians
15'- It's Hearts turn for a free kick. Fatawu sends a long one but Atinga heads wide.
16'- Hearts now warning up into the game. Cobbina with a beautiful turn, funds Akowuah but Abbey loses the ball.
17'- Hearts win a throw-in. Taken quickly. Dangerous for Kotoko but Gyamfi clears.
18'- Quick counter attack for Kotoko but Sadick is flagged offside.
21'- Brilliant exchanges making it very difficult to update. Swift passing game.
21'- Free kick for Kotoko. Akrofi lucky to have escaped with that
22'- Free kick taken but wasted. Goal kick for Hearts
23'- Beautiful drill from Akowuah, finds Abbey, back to Fatawu but the right back clears the ball instead of crossing.
24'- Ball still in play. Patrick Razak dribbles past two defenders and is brought down. Free kick for Hearts.
25'- Cobbinah behind the ball, sends a long one in but ball travels beyond the goal line.
26'- WATER BREAK
Game resumes
30'- Penalty for Kotoko as Akrofi brings down Sadick Adams.
31'- Goal!!!!!! Sadick makes it two for Kotoko. The Fabulous Boys are on fire
33'- Cynical tackle from Atingah who sends his elbow deep into the lower abdomen of Sadick Adams.
BREAKING NEWS: Sadick Adams in coma from a cynical tackle from Atinga.
Sadick revived from coma but it's unclear whether he can continue the game.
37'- Game resumes but Sadick is still receiving treatment. I can see Yakubu Mohammed, Baba Mahama and Sarfo Gyamfi warming up
GOOD NEWS: Sadick Adams returns for the game. Good for Kotoko fans and goo for Ghanaians.
41'- Goal kick for Kotoko. Annan sends a long one in, Obed locates Gyamfi, he unleashes a great cross but Ben Mensah parries the ball away.
43'- Leonard Tawiah goes away after physically abusing Kwame Boahene without getting a card. Amazing!
45'- 3 minutes of time added on.
45+1'- Throw-in for Hearts as Patrick Razak dazzles his marker.
45+3'- Goal!!! Sadick Adams completes a hat trick. Beautiful goal from the striker and an intelligent pass from Emmanuel Gyamfi.
HT: HEARTS 0-3 KOTOKO
46'- Welcome back
47'- Free kick for Hearts. Cobbina take a long one in but headed away by Tawiah. Goal kick for Kotoko
49'- Kwame Boahene takes on Atinga, turns him inside out but the final delivery, poor.
50'- HEARTS SUB: Malik Akowuah comes off for Cosmos Dauda
55'- Kotoko attacking but Fatawu Mohammed shields Kwame Boahene. Goal kick for Hearts.
56'- The dynamics of the game seem to be switching in favour of Heartsin the second half.
57' Goal!!! Hearts reduce the tally as Thomas Abbey pulls one back. 1-3 now.
61' Free kick for Hearts. Taken but wasted
63'- Throw-in for Kotoko. Swiftly taken but referee spots an infringement. Free kick for Hearts. Abbey brought down.
64'- Can it be another goal???
65'- Straight into the human wall. Throw-infor Hearts.
68'- Goal kick for Hearts. Taken swiftly but referee calls for retake
70'- Throw-in for Kotoko.
70'- WATER BREAK
72'- Game resumes.
77'- Kizito with a drive but over the bar it goes. Kotoko about making their first substitution.
78'- KOTOKO SUB: Edwin Tuffour comes on for Seth Opare
80'- Corner kick for Kotoko. The stadium has started vibrating again.
81'- Long corner from Obed, booted away by Akrofi. Hearts on the attack. Kizito weaves his way through the Kotoko defence but kneels in the ball for an infringement but referee penalises him rather. Foul for Kotoko
85'- Five more minutes to go and still Hearts trailing by 3-1.
86'- Corner kick for Hearts. Taken but ball goes for a throw-in for the home side. Kotoko under the weight now.
88'- Temporary hold up as Emmanuel Gyamfi goes down without any tackle. Delaying tactics perhaps.
90'- KOTOKO SUB: Baba Mahama comes on for Emmanuel Gyamfi
90'- Four minutes added on.
90+2'- KOTOKO SUB: Sadick Adams comes off for Yakubu Mohammed
FT: HEARTS 1-3 KOTOKO
By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1 on twitter