Hearts of Oak began the new Ghana Premier League season with a stunning 1-0 defeat to newly promoted Basake Holy Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium, raising concerns about their preparedness for the season ahead.
The Phobians, who have battled to avoid relegation in the past two campaigns, now face the possibility of another tough season after losing to a side with no top-flight experience.
Holy Stars, making their Premier League debut, showed no signs of nerves and took an early lead through Prince Tweneboah’s header in the second minute.
The goal rattled Hearts, who, despite dominating possession with 69%, struggled to find a breakthrough. They created 15 goal attempts but only managed three shots on target, while Holy Stars registered four on target from just six attempts.
Hearts launched 206 attacks, with 144 deemed dangerous, but their lack of sharpness in front of goal proved costly. Meanwhile, Holy Stars held firm defensively, with goalkeeper Abdul Wahab Abubakari making crucial saves to preserve their lead.
Holy Stars coach Abdulai Gazale, formerly an assistant at Hearts’ arch-rivals Asante Kotoko, will be thrilled with the historic win. His team’s strong defensive performance was key to the victory, and they will look to build on this result when they face Dreams FC next. Hearts of Oak, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face Heart of Lions in their next fixture.
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