Accra Hearts of Oak’s struggles on opening day continued on Friday night as they were held to a goalless draw by Ghana Premier League debutants Hohoe United at the Accra Sports Stadium, stretching their winless run in matchday one fixtures to seven straight seasons.
The Phobians, one of Ghana’s most successful clubs, have not won a league opener since the 2016/17 campaign. Since then, they have suffered defeats and shared spoils in a series of frustrating starts that have often set the tone for inconsistent campaigns.
A Record of False Starts
- 2017: Drew 0-0 with Inter Allies.
- 2020/21: Lost 2-0 away to Aduana Stars.
- 2021/22: Drew 0-0 at home against Legon Cities.
- 2022/23: Fell 1-0 to Aduana Stars in Dormaa.
- 2023/24: Beaten 1-0 by Real Tamale United.
- 2024/25: Shocked 1-0 at home by Basake Holy Stars.
- 2025/26: Drew 0-0 with Hohoe United at home.
A Frustrating Trend
Friday’s stalemate against Hohoe United summed up the Phobians’ struggles—despite dominating possession, Hearts were blunt in attack and failed to find the cutting edge.
The sequence means Hearts have started every campaign since 2017 without a victory, managing only three draws and suffering four defeats in their last seven season openers.
Dramani’s Challenge
New head coach Mas-ud Didi Dramani, appointed this summer, is tasked with reversing not only the club’s poor starts but also re-establishing Hearts as genuine title contenders. The Phobians finished 4th last season after narrowly escaping relegation the year before, and fans are hopeful of seeing a stronger campaign under Dramani.
While their opening-day record remains poor, the season is still long, and the Phobians will now shift focus to building momentum in the coming weeks.
