Heart of Lions head coach Bashir Hayford praised his side’s resilience after holding Asante Kotoko to a gritty 0–0 draw in their Ghana Premier League Matchweek 4 clash at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
In a match that swung from end to end, both sides created chances but lacked the finishing touch to find a breakthrough.
The result means the 'Dzie Woa Nu' remain unbeaten after four matches this season — a record Hayford believes reflects his team’s growing maturity.
“It was a tough game because Asante Kotoko wanted to take the maximum points, we also wanted the maximum points, so it was a tough game,” Hayford said after the match. “But at the end of it all, everybody is satisfied with the one point each that we got.”
The experienced tactician acknowledged Kotoko’s missed chances but insisted the draw was a fair reflection of a fiercely contested encounter.
“Well, they missed some couple of chances they shouldn’t have, but that’s football,” he noted. “It was a ding-dong battle, a very hard-fought battle, and we split the points — so it’s okay for me.”
The stalemate leaves Heart of Lions firmly on top of the log, maintaining their unbeaten run in four games, having recorded three wins and a draw so far.
Hayford, however, was quick to shift focus away from refereeing debates, preferring instead to celebrate his side’s consistency.
“It’s not even about being on top; it’s the unbeaten run for four matches that speaks volumes,” he added. “Right now, I don’t want to talk about referees at all.”
Having shown growing defensive assurance and poise under pressure, the 'Dzie Woa Nu' will seek to stretch their positive run when they welcome Berekum Chelsea to the Kpando Stadium on Sunday.
By: Pascal Amoah
