Statistics show that Heart of Lions are not joking in the Ghana Premier League. No one should ever underrate them because they are doing what champions normally do.
Bashir Hayford’s Heart of Lions are in the form of their lives after narrowly pipping Young Apostles at the Kpando Sports Stadium on Boxing Day to remain glued at the top of the Ghana Premier League.
Summary of the 2023-24 season
The rise of the Kpando-based club is very unbelievable considering that they were on the verge of returning to the Access Bank Division One League under Fatawu Salifu just after week 10 of last season.
Things changed the moment the club decided to appoint Bashir Hayford as the new head coach of the then-struggling club on December 14th, 2023.
The Giant Killers were rooted at the bottom of the Ghana Premier League and winless after 13 rounds of the 2023-24 season. Nobody expected them to be victorious in their battle to survive even with the experienced Hayford at the helm.
Dzi Woa Nu picked themselves up and started picking up points. It was just 6 points that separated them and the second-placed Accra Lions at the end of last season. Hearts of Oak finished the season a place below Bashir Hayford’s side if you care to know.
The 2-2 draw against Medeama SC in round 15 was the beginning of something special for the then-bottom-placed team.
The battle was extremely difficult because, in the next 20 games, each was a final for them. The first victory came in round 17 which was the final round of the first round when they defeated Bechem United 1-0 but remained last on the log.
The second round started with a surprise 1-0 win over Asante Kotoko in late February helping them to move two places higher to 16th – still in the relegation zone. Accra Great Olympics brought them back to square one with a 2-0 defeat. Results were not fully bad but they got out of the relegation zone for the first time after week 30 when they won 2-1 at Dreams FC.
Heart of Lions have defied every odd and was now a point ahead of Accra Great Olympics, two points ahead of Tano Bofoakwa and seven points above the almost mathematically relegated Real Tamale United.
With four games to end the campaign and complete the impossible escape, Heart of Lions beat league leaders Samartex 2-0 at home, won 1-0 at Medeama, won 2-0 against Legon Cities and finished the campaign with a 2-2 draw at Berekum Chelsea. The road to safety was so muddy but Bashir Hayford did an unbelievable job.
Eventually, Heart of Lions finished in 13th position after winning 45 points.
How things have panned out so far this season
The 2024-25 season has been so sensational for Heart of Lions with star defender Ebenezer Abban leading them from the back culminating in a call-up to the Black Stars.
In the entire 2024, the club has lost only six league games. After round 15, Bashir Hayford’s side has lost just one game making them the club with the fewest defeats in the league.
They have the best defence as they have conceded just five goals in 15 league games. The defence of skipper Ebenezer Abban, Ruben Hennessy, Anim Bismark, Pong Kwesi, Ali Fawiz and Osei George has protected goalkeeper Osei Lawrence who has played every single minute pretty well.
With a combined 65 appearances and 4,657 minutes played among the defenders, they are yet to receive a single red card. Only 5 yellow cards have been conceded making them the best defensive side in the league. Pong Kwesi is the only defender to have scored for the Kpando-based club so far. His goal earned the club a crucial three points against Young Apostles in week 15.
In Hayford’s midfield, Yaw Danso, Ishmael Addo, Sakyi Emmanuel, and Michelle Sarpong have been so reliable thus far.
Heart of Lions’ strength is definitely in their attack. The club has scored 16 goals with just one behind Nations FC – the team with the most goals (17). of the five registered attackers, only the 34-year-old former Accra Hearts of Oak striker, Abednego Tetteh is yet to find the back of the net in seven appearances.
22-year-old Nana Oppong in 13 appearances (866 minutes) has scored 6 goals. He is the third top goal scorer in the league after Faisal Charwetey of Nations (8) and Albert Amoah (6) of Kotoko. The experienced Obeng Junior, ex-Phobia striker has scored two goals, and youngsters Boateng Christian and Yakubu Mustapha each have also scored two goals.
Unlike their competitors who rely only on a few players for goals, the Kpando-based club get goals from so many players. Eight different players have scored the 16 goals.
It is just three points that separate the Giant Killers from second and third-placed Bibiani Gold Stars and Asante Kotoko, the club has what it takes to go all the way to the last round of the season.
The Kpando Sports Stadium has been so good to the club after sitting on top of the home league table having won 20 points from 8 games.
So far, the club has lived up to their nickname, GIANT KILLERS, after beating giants Accra Hearts Of Oak, Asante Kotoko and Samartex who are the defending champions. They have won 7 points from the newly promoted sides Young Apostles, Vision FC, and Basake Holy Stars.
Everything shows that Heart of Lions are a contender. What is left now is to guide against complacency and be consistent. All looks rosy now for Bashir Hayford in the bid to do the unthinkable.
The next two games before the end of the first round are a huge trip to the red-hot Bechem United and a visit by Nations FC. Four points from these games could be so crucial to Heart of Lions.
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