Mas Ud-Didi Dramani was announced as the head coach of Hearts of Oak on June 20, 2025. On July 6, he led Hearts to a 2-1 loss to Kotoko in the President’s Cup.
Six weeks later, he met Kotoko again. This time, with a different outcome, a 2-0 win backed by a solid performance.
Four new players, George Paaku (formerly of Accra Lions), Abdul Karim (signed from Nations F.C.), Mohammed Ali (from Golden Kick), and Frank Duku (signed from Vision F.C.), formed the spine of a new look team that embodied the long-lost spirit of Hearts of Oak.
Mohammed Ali’s partnership with Kelvin Osei-Asibey was excellent. They kept Kotoko’s front two of Albert Amoah and Kwame Opoku at bay. Between them, Kotoko’s strikers failed to register a single shot on target in 90 minutes and five additional minutes.
Asibey and Ali were constantly breathing down their neck.
Unlike the July 6 affair, the Hearts backline did not panic when under pressure. They were resolute and restricted Kotoko to hopeful crosses and long balls, thanks in no small part to the first line of support.
That is where Abdul Karim and George Paaku deserve credit.
It was not exactly a clinic, but there was a lot to take from his performance.
When pressed, take a second and spin away from the onrushing player.
No options in sight? Carry the ball forward with close control.
Fundamentally, scan around and get a good view of the movements and options around before you receive the ball.
Nothing spectacular. Just the basics every midfielder should have.
And they did it all.
Further up the pitch, Frank Duku’s movements off the ball were a refreshing break from the norm. He was more interested in finding space and combining with his teammates than winning deals.
Before long, his intelligence was rewarded when he sneaked in behind the often reliable Samba O’neil to fire home the opener.
Fuseini Zakari’s anticipation, or the lack of it, was partly to blame, but without Duku’s perseverance, there is no danger.
A week ago, it was the same trait that punished Heart of Lions as Hearts won the match.
Sources at the club have confirmed that his injury is not as bad as initially feared.
When he returns, the prospect of Duku lining up alongside Prince Kwabena Owusu should excite fans.
Hearts will celebrate every win against Kotoko, but the circumstances preceding this one gave it an extra spice.
Breaking the streak
Sunday’s win ended a run of four winless games against Kotoko.
In fact, before Hamza Issa’s goal in the President’s Cup on July 6, Hearts had not scored a goal against Asante Kotoko since Martin Karikari’s effort sneaked past Danlad Ibrahim in December 2023.
As for wins in competitive games, you would have to go as far back as June 2021, when Afriyie Barnieh’s winner effectively ended Kotoko’s title hopes and secured it for Hearts of Oak.
That is why Didi Dramani needed to win this match, no matter the cost.
Yet, for all they did to win this, their joy was somewhat incomplete.
They are champions without a trophy.
GHALCA’s gaffe
Per the competition rules, matches that end in draw are to be determined by penalties, with the winner being awarded an additional point one they earned in regulation time. The losing team still gets a point for their effort in regulation time.
In subservience to the Ghana Football Association’s general competition rules, GHALCA’s main tie breaker for the tournament was the head-to-head rule.
So strictly speaking, GHALCA were right to declare Bibiani Gold Stars as champions even though they won one match fewer than Hearts of Oak, and conceded more goals than the Phobians, and finished level on points.
The problem, though, is that using penalty kicks to determine the head to head in a competition that is not played with a knockout format is pretty odd.
This two-way split of points is counterproductive.
The current format of the competition is a slap in the face of true sporting merit. Hearts won the most matches, scored the (joint) most goals, and conceded the fewest goals. Yet, Gold Stars, who drew more matches than they won, are champions because they drew 2-2 with Hearts but won on penalties.
Beyond GHALCA’s indiscretion, questions have to be asked about the clubs that agreed to this.
How did experienced football executives who presumably know what their jobs agreed to this?