ACCRA (Interstat) — Hamza Issah scored twice Sunday as Hearts of Oak defeated Medeama 4-2 in the Ghana Premier League opener at Accra Sports Stadium.

Issah, a forward, put Hearts of Oak ahead in the fourth minute with a right-footed finish and doubled the lead in the 56th minute with another right-footed strike. The brace set the tone for a dominant home performance as the Phobians began the season with a victory while Medeama dropped its first match of the campaign.

Hearts of Oak’s record in the competition stands at one win and zero losses, while Medeama fell to zero wins and one loss. Across all competitions, Hearts of Oak also carries a 1-0 mark, and Medeama is 0-1.

The match opened with intensity as Hearts of Oak pressed forward from the first whistle. Issah’s early goal in the fourth minute came after a quick buildup that caught the Medeama defense out of position. The forward collected a pass inside the area and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper with his right foot.

Medeama responded by controlling possession for stretches of the first half but could not convert its chances. The visitors went into halftime trailing 1-0.

Hearts of Oak came out strong after the break and extended the lead in the 56th minute. Issah again found space in the box and used his right foot to beat the keeper a second time, making it 2-0.

Medeama fought back and pulled a goal back later in the half, though the scorer was not immediately identified in the match report. Hearts of Oak answered with two additional goals of their own to push the lead to 4-1 before Medeama added a late consolation goal to close the final margin to 4-2.

Issah’s performance stood out as the game’s most impactful individual effort. His two goals provided the foundation for Hearts of Oak’s offensive output, and his ability to finish with either foot — in this case both goals coming off his right — kept the Medeama defense off balance.

The victory marked a strong start for Hearts of Oak under the pressure of a home crowd in Accra. The Phobians appeared organized in attack and resilient when Medeama tried to build momentum in the middle third of the pitch.

Medeama, meanwhile, will look to regroup after allowing four goals in its season debut. The visitors showed signs of life late in the match but could not overcome the early deficit created by Issah’s quick strikes.

The match was the first of the season for both sides in the Ghana Premier League. The league’s opening weekend featured several high-profile fixtures, with Hearts of Oak’s win being one of the more decisive results.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Hearts of Oak 1, Medeama 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Hearts of Oak with a 65.30 percent probability to win before the match.