Asante Kotoko head coach Abdul Karim Zito has admitted his disappointment after his side suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat to Hearts of Lions in the Ghana Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Kotoko travelled to the Lions’ home ground as favourites but were undone by a spirited display from the hosts, who punished defensive lapses to claim a crucial victory and ease their relegation worries.

Speaking after the match, Zito said the result was not what his team had planned for, especially given the work done in training ahead of the encounter.

“This is football for you,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this scoreline because, seriously, we prepared well for this game. Most especially the set pieces they scored the two goals from, because we have been practising how to defend and attack set pieces.”

Hearts of Lions took advantage of those moments to build a commanding lead, before Kotoko attempted to fight back in the second half. Despite pulling a goal back, the Porcupine Warriors were unable to stop the hosts from sealing a memorable win.

The defeat is a setback for Kotoko as they look to stay in contention at the top end of the table, while Hearts of Lions will take confidence from a result that underlines their determination to survive in the top flight.

For Zito and his players, attention now turns to correcting the mistakes highlighted in the loss, as the coach insists preparation alone is not always enough in a league where fine margins often decide matches.