Accra Lions’ relegation woes deepened on Friday afternoon following a 3-1 loss to city rivals Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium, a result that leaves them precariously placed in 16th position with just 35 points and only two games left to save their Ghana Premier League status.

Hearts of Oak started with intent and were rewarded early as Enoch Asubonteng opened the scoring in the 11th minute, calmly finishing a well-worked move to give the Phobians the lead.

Accra Lions showed signs of life in the second half and found a lifeline in the 69th minute, when Lawrence Setordjie fired in a sensational long-range equalizer. However, his celebration was cut short as he sustained an injury moments later and had to be substituted—another blow to Lions’ already strained squad.

The turning point came in the 79th minute when Kwesi Asmah punished a defensive mix-up to restore Hearts' lead. Lions’ desperation for another equalizer left their backline exposed, and Hamza Issah capitalized in the 88th minute, chipping over goalkeeper Daniel Afful after a miscommunication in defence to wrap up the win for the Phobians.

The result extends Accra Lions’ poor run of form, particularly on the road—just one win in 15 away matches—and leaves them staring down the barrel of relegation unless they can produce a late-season turnaround in their remaining fixtures.

For Hearts of Oak, the victory cements their fifth-place standing and keeps alive their top-four ambitions. They are now just two points behind arch-rivals Asante Kotoko, adding further intrigue to the season's final stretch.

Accra Lions must regroup quickly if they are to avoid the drop, while Hearts of Oak look to maintain their momentum in the hunt for continental qualification.