Accra Hearts of Oak host Eleven Wonders on Friday night in a must-watch Ghana Premier League contest at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Phobians could go top of the league with a win, and with two of the top three, Karela United and Medeama S.C., facing each other, and Heart of Lions hosting Bechem United, the Phobians could stay there by the end of this weekend’s fixtures if results go their way.

Fear factor

Hearts are high on confidence, having beaten Dreams FC by 1-0 last Monday, and are now unbeaten in nine consecutive Premier League games in a run stretching as far back as last season.

Their home invincibility is another factor worth mentioning.

The Phobians are chasing a seventh consecutive unbeaten home game, and have kept clean sheets in five of the previous six (W3, D3).

Wonders concerns

Eleven Wonders, however, have endured a sharp contrast in fortunes and are winless in two games.

They started the season with a stalemate at Holy Stars, only to suffer a 4-1 thrashing at home by Heart of Lions.

Wonder’s will, however, be consoleed by their impressive record on the road in the past year.

They were the best-performing away team in Zone One B of last season’s Division One League with a record of five wins, four draws, and five losses. If their opening day stalemate is anything to go by, then it is safe to assume that they are quite capable of replicating that form in the top division.

If that’s not enough, the track record of the club’s new owners, the individuals who previously managed the now-defunct Legon Cities, should inspire hope. Between 2021 and 2024, they went on a six-game unbeaten run against Hearts, comprising two victories and four draws.

Head-to-head

Hearts have a hundred per cent win rate, having won both league matches against Eleven Wonders in the 2020/21 season.

Players to watch

If Hearts are the favourites for this match, it is partly because of Hussein Mohammed.

Deceptively explosive, ambipedal, a natural dribbler, and, as he showed on Monday, can be a match-winner.

Mohammed aside, the midfield partnership of Abdul Karim and Raphael Amponsah is an exciting one to watch. The duo has a good mix of technical ability and tenacity, and is beginning to build on their brilliance from the GHALCA Top 4 tournament.

Wonders player to watch

Once upon a time, the hope of E.S. Setif, Daniel Lomotey’s reputation has taken a hit.

Failed stints at Medeama S.C. and Young Apostles have eroded quite a bit of his reputation.

Yet, when presented with a chance, Lomotey can still finish as well as the man who scored 18 goals in 39 appearances for West African Football Academy.

Prediction

Hearts of Oak’s miserly defence has survived the onslaught of more experienced teams in the league, and that is not likely to change on Friday night.

That backline and Didi Dramani’s new-look midfield should lay the foundation for a comfortable win at home.