Hearts of Oak’s Assistant Coach, Abdul Rahim Bashiru, has voiced his surprise following his team’s unforeseen defeat to Accra Lions on Wednesday.
Despite a promising start and several opportunities in the first half, the Phobians couldn’t convert their chances, ultimately conceding a goal to Accra Lions in the 56th minute scored by Ibrahim Issa.
“That’s football. We started so well. We were even supposed to finish the game in the first half. We had some decent chances but we couldn’t take them,” Rahim Bashiru lamented post-match.
“In the second half, we continued before they scored so to me, I can’t tell you the reason why. I don’t know. Whether we lost focus or what. We kept trying but they defended so well. Their goalkeeper did very well so we have to congratulate them,” he added.
The recent defeat has seen Hearts of Oak drop to 12th place in the league standings with 35 points, just four points above the relegation zone.
Conversely, Accra Lions have ascended to third position, strengthening their position in the league.
Hearts of Oak have now suffered five defeats in their last six matches, with their lone victory in that period coming against Karela United.
Given their ongoing struggles, the Phobians may face the prospect of missing out on a top-four finish for the third consecutive year, following their Ghana Premier League triumph in the 2020/21 season.
Their upcoming fixture is against Berekum Chelsea at Golden City Park on Saturday, May 4, 2024.