Head coach of Hearts of Oak, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, has underlined the importance of carefully managing goalkeeper Benjamin Asare to ensure he remains at his best for the remainder of the season.
The 33-year-old shot-stopper delivered a standout performance in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Asante Kotoko in Kumasi, earning the Man of the Match award. The result not only secured three vital points for the Phobians but also brought an end to Kotoko’s 21-game unbeaten home streak in the Ghana Premier League.
An early 13th-minute header from Baba Adamu separated the two sides at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. Hearts were forced to dig deep after defender Emmanuel Amankwah was sent off, leaving the team to play with ten men for more than an hour. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Asare’s composure and command in goal helped preserve the narrow lead until the final whistle.
Speaking after the match, Dramani dismissed suggestions that Asare is playing to validate his status as Ghana’s first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, he pointed to structured workload management as the key factor behind the keeper’s consistency.
“It is for us to continue to do things that will help us, things that will keep our players in better shape. He has nothing to prove to anyone — that he’s the number one of the Black Stars or Ghana’s number one,” Dramani said.
“We just have to know how to manage him in terms of his workload. Sometimes we try to deload, and we have capable hands to do that as well. For me, that is the standard we’re expecting.”
The win lifts Hearts to 39 points, just five behind league leaders Medeama SC. With the title race intensifying, Dramani’s emphasis on squad management — particularly keeping Asare fresh and focused — could prove decisive in the Phobians’ quest for domestic glory.
