Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara has acknowledged that his team’s performance was below expectations in their FA Cup round of 16 defeat to Golden Kicks FC. The Phobians, the most successful club in the competition’s history, struggled to break down their lower-tier opponents and eventually lost in a penalty shootout.
Despite their dominance on paper, Hearts failed to find a breakthrough in regulation time, and their difficulties continued in the shootout, leading to a surprising elimination. The result left supporters frustrated, with many expressing their disappointment over the team’s early exit.
Attacker Mawuli Wayo addressed the fans’ concerns by issuing an apology on social media, recognizing their frustration over the team’s performance. Meanwhile, Ouattara admitted that his players lacked confidence but assured supporters that he would work on boosting their morale ahead of the league’s resumption.
“We are thinking about the league. We played very badly against Golden Kick, and I think the boys are losing confidence, but I will talk to them,” the experienced Ivorian tactician said.
With the league currently on hold, Hearts of Oak sit fourth in the standings with 33 points from 19 matches. The team will now focus on regrouping and strengthening their title challenge when the competition resumes.
