Head coach of Hearts of Oak Frank Elliot Nuttall says Samuel Akurugu merited his starting berth against Asante Kotoko in the Super Clash win on Sunday.
The former Sekondi Hasaacas custodian has been playing second fiddle to Benjamin Mensah since the start of this season but was given a rare start in the side’s biggest game of the campaign against their sworn rivals Asante Kotoko on Sunday.
Akurugu went on to produce a magnificent display and topped it up by keeping a clean-sheet in the 1-0 victory over the Porcupines.
And speaking to the club’s mouthpiece, the Scottish trainer was quizzed on what resulted in the goal keeper’s start ahead of his number one, Benjamin Mensah in such a magnificent encounter.
He replied,“I think Sam [Akurugu] deserved his chance,” Nuttall told accraheartsofoaksc.com
“The man played half the games I think last season and [they were] 90 minutes game[s] so he deserved his chance [against Kotoko] and he did very well and I was very pleased with him.”
He joined Hearts at the beginning of last season and he went on to play 15 games as a second choice behind Soulama Abdoulaye.