2025/26 GPL: Missed penalty costs Hohoe United in Volta derby
3rd January 2026
Safianu Usman was left to reflect on a painful missed opportunity as Hohoe United were held to a 0-0 draw by regional rivals Heart of Lions in a tense Volta derby in the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League.
The decisive moment came shortly after half-time at the Hohoe Sports Stadium, when the home side were awarded a penalty and the crowd sensed a breakthrough. Captain Safianu Usman stepped forward, carrying the weight of expectation, but sent his effort high over the crossbar, allowing Heart of Lions to breathe again.
It proved to be the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in a match marked by intensity, discipline and local pride.
Hohoe United were the more adventurous team for long spells, creating the clearer chances and testing the Lions defence more frequently. Yet their dominance counted for little as a lack of composure in the final third let them down, with the visitors standing firm and repelling wave after wave of pressure.
Heart of Lions, who enjoyed more of the ball overall, struggled to turn possession into meaningful openings. Instead, the Kpando-based side focused on staying compact and organised, frustrating their hosts and slowing the tempo whenever Hohoe threatened to build momentum.
The stalemate does little to ease Hohoe United’s worries, leaving them just one place above the relegation zone and still searching for the cutting edge needed to turn performances into points.
For Heart of Lions, the draw extends a steady run of form and keeps them sixth in the league standings. On a difficult afternoon away from home, they will see this as a valuable point and one earned through resilience rather than flair.
As the Volta derby dust settles, Hohoe United are left to think of what might have been, while Heart of Lions head home satisfied with a hard-fought share of the spoils.