MTN FA Cup Round of 32: Hearts of Oak Cruise Past Home Stars, True Democracy Stun Dreams FC Accra Hearts of Oak secured a place in the Round of 16
MTN FA Cup Round of 32: Hearts of Oak Cruise Past Home Stars, True Democracy Stun Dreams FC
Accra Hearts of Oak secured a place in the Round of 16 of the 2024/25 MTN FA Cup with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Division One side Akatsi Home Stars at the University of Ghana Stadium on Sunday, January 12.
The first half was a tightly contested affair, with Home Stars applying early pressure and testing Hearts’ defense. Despite their aggressive start, Home Stars could not break through the solid backline of Kelvin Osei-Asibey and Konadu Yiadom.
A tactical reshuffle by Hearts’ coach, Aboubakar Ouattara, at halftime proved pivotal. The introduction of Asamoah Boateng Afriyie injected energy into the attack, transforming the Phobians’ performance.
Mawuli Wayo broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half, capitalizing on a clever assist from Afriyie to slot the ball home from the edge of the box. Enock Asubonteng doubled the lead in the 62nd minute, finishing a swift counter-attack with a composed strike into the far corner.
Afriyie capped his impactful performance in the 71st minute, poking the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble to seal the win. Home Stars had a late chance through Ronaldo Klenam, but his effort went wide, leaving Hearts to celebrate a dominant win.
Upset in Tema as True Democracy Topples Dreams FC
In one of the biggest surprises of the round, Division One side True Democracy FC defeated defending champions Dreams FC 1-0 at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Stadium in Tema.
True Democracy controlled much of the game, creating better opportunities while Dreams FC struggled to find their rhythm. The decisive moment came in the dying minutes when Adjei Martei’s clinical strike secured a historic victory for the underdogs, ending Dreams FC’s hopes of retaining the trophy.
Elsewhere in the Round of 32
- Young Apostles 1-1 Nsoatreman FC (5-3 penalties): Nsoatreman FC bowed out in a penalty shootout after a hard-fought draw.
- Asante Kotoko 2-0 Acceler8z FC: Goals from Kwame Opoku (penalty, 43’) and Henry Ansu (90’) earned a comfortable win for the Porcupine Warriors.
- Berekum Chelsea 1-1 Debibi United (4-2 penalties): Chelsea advanced after a dramatic shootout.
- Bechem United 1-0 Nations FC: A narrow victory kept Bechem United’s fine form intact.
- Bibiani GoldStars 1-0 Basake Holy Stars: A solitary goal saw GoldStars progress.
- Sekondi Eleven Wise 1-1 Ebusua Dwarfs (4-3 penalties): Eleven Wise triumphed in another tense shootout.
- Karela United 4-1 TF Exponential: A dominant display in Tamale sent Karela United through.
- Medeama SC 1-1 Nsuopun Fidelity (4-2 penalties): Medeama booked their spot in the next round with a shootout win.
- PAC Academy 2-1 King Faisal FC: PAC Academy stunned former Premiership side King Faisal in a thrilling encounter.
The Round of 32 delivered drama, upsets, and standout performances as teams battled for a place in the next stage of the competition.