Kwame Kizito and Saddick Adams scored a goal each for their side as Hearts of Oak shared the spoils with Kotoko at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The first half was fairly balanced with both sides having a go at each other in each half in Kotoko’s first game back since the tragic accident on July 12. Kotoko, motivated by the occasion and their fans, began the game in a very high tempo trying to unsettle the Phobians but Hearts took charge of the half with Samudeen Ibrahim, Leonard Tawiah and Winful Cobbinah taking center stage and Patrick Razak providing the outlet with his pace.
The Phobians could however not make the most of their dominance as the half ended in a stalemate.Kotoko began the second half in the ascendency pinning the Phobians back in their own half and forcing Hearts keeper Ben Mensah to pull some brilliant saves.
While Kotoko lived in hope of getting the opener following the bright spell, they were pegged back when Hearts got the opener through Kwame Kizito after some brilliant piece of play from Winful Cobbinah to play through wing back Fatawu Mohammed who cut the ball across of goal for Kizito to apply the finish.
The goal spurred Kotoko on who took the game to the Phobians without creating clear cut chances. On one of their usual forays forward, Amos Frimpong saw his goal bound shot adjudged to be handled by Leonard Tawiah in the box.
A penalty was awarded and Saddick Adams knocked home the resultant penalty to restore parity.
There had been much talk about Kotoko’s match fitness and the Kumasi side going down after 60 minutes but the Porcupine Warriors had a different script as they got better with the minute dominating the last stages of the games.
Their persistence should have been rewarded when Saddick Adams missed a glaring opportunity with Hearts keeper Ben Mensah at his mercy.
A draw in the Super 2, and for Kotoko, their next league test is against WAFA in Sogakoe while Hearts miss the chance to close the gap on leaders Aduana Stars.
