Ghana Premier League: “Heart of Lions need to correct poor away performance” – Bashir Hayford
Heart of Lions head coach Bashir Hayford has laid out a clear roadmap for the club’s title ambitions in the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League, emphasizing the need to correct last season’s costly mistakes—particularly in away fixtures.
The Kpando-based outfit finished second in the 2024/25 campaign with 60 points, just three shy of champions Bibiani GoldStars. Despite a strong home record, dropped points on the road and a few home draws ultimately derailed their title charge.
Reflecting on the previous season, Hayford acknowledged the psychological and tactical challenges of managing a smaller club in away matches.
“So many things have opened my eyes. When you are coaching big clubs, the aura is different from coaching a smaller club. So sometimes it’s difficult to win matches away as a small club,” he told Heart of Lions media.
He added that the team’s inability to convert away opportunities—and three home draws—were decisive setbacks.
“If we had made some inputs in the away matches, I think we would have won the league last season. I have to watch our home and away matches if we want to win the league,” Hayford said.
Heart of Lions have already begun the new season with intent, securing a 1–0 win over Dreams FC at the Kpando Stadium on Matchday 1. Captain Ebenezer Abban converted a first-half penalty to seal the victory, with Hayford praising his squad’s discipline and execution.
The team now travels to Techiman to face newly promoted Eleven Wonders in Week 2—a fixture that will test their renewed focus on away performance.
With Hayford’s tactical recalibration and a squad hungry for redemption, Heart of Lions are positioning themselves as serious contenders for the 2025/26 title. The coach’s emphasis on mental resilience and strategic balance between home and away matches could be the difference-maker this season.
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