Sefa Writes: Basake Holy Stars compound Hearts of Oak’s opening day miseries

The clock is winding down at the Accra Sports Stadium, fans are restless, and there appears the most relaxed man in the stadium, Aboubakar Ouattara, seated with his arms folded as he watches his side struggle to lay a glove on newly promoted side Basake Holy Stars.

Ouattara looked completely out of ideas in the sweltering sun on Sunday as his team were run ragged by the Access Bank Division One Zone Two Champions.

There was absolutely nothing he could do about the situation, as his game plan was completely thrown out of the window two minutes from the start; Basake worked their way into Hearts’ box before Prince Tweneboah’s header nestled in the top corner.

Right after conceding what was the fastest goal in the Ouattara era, the game was slipping away from the experienced Hearts of Oak team, who looked more like the newly promoted side as the game wore on.

Perhaps the reverence Hearts of Oak showcased to Basake was down to their name, “Holy Stars”.

Getting in close proximity proved worrisome for the players in the first half as the Phobians shied away from tackles and duels.

Maybe the radiation and sparkle emitted by the Stars were too much to bear for Hearts’ players.

The manager’s response to such a disheartening sequence of events was to haul away Ahmed Ramzy Yussif and Salim Adams, with Theophilus Collinson and Mohammed Hussein taking their stead just before the interval.

Good riddance! Fans said amongst themselves as the pair took the long walk from Basake’s goalpost to Hearts’ dugout.

The ineffective duo took their place on the bench as the cinematic scene at the Accra Sports Stadium was interrupted by half-time.

At the interval, a chunk of the fans in the stadium (Hearts of Oak fans specifically) cut frustrated figures – with some offering coaching lessons on how to get in behind Basake’s high line and find a way back into the game.

Six out of the 12 players brought in during the summer’s transfer window to steady Hearts of Oak’s sinking ship were in from the start, with the manager having ample time with the team in pre-season to leave his mark ahead of the new campaign.

The pre-season jitters, which were caused as a result of Hearts picking up one win in six games, rolled on into the first half against Holy Stars.

Despite trailing at the break, the team came out to applaud and a reception of approval as Hearts looked to come from behind to win for the fifth time under Ouattara.

For a former Kumasi Asante Kotoko assistant manager, Abdulai Gazele, the allure of beating Accra Hearts of Oak could never be understated — more so with a newly promoted side.

Gazaele ensured his team’s (Basake Holy Stars) defenders kept it safe at the back, not giving away needless or cheap fouls, as they held the Phobians at arm’s length.

Clear-cut chances were difficult to come by for Hearts of Oak, with fans resorting to yelling at the referee continually for a spot kick, which was never forthcoming.

A way out of the murky situation was all Hearts of Oak needed to wipe away the dismal statistic of failing to find the back of the net on opening day since the 2020-21 season.

Hearts fans angry with the result today after the team lost to debutants Basake Holy Stars #3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/5umnJT9TWy

— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) September 8, 2024

Its complimentary statistic was also letting in six goals in that span; so if Basake were up by one, the perfect response was to hit back to settle the score, but it failed to materialize.

Ouattara’s appointment was seen as a reconciliatory moment between Hearts’ hierarchy and the fans, as the Ivorian took the reins on February 12 — two days before Lovers Day.

However, a man tasked with uplifting the team from the abyss has placed them back in the doldrums; Hearts’ game against Basake Holy Stars was the 18th under Ouattara’s reign, with seven ending in victories, eight in defeats and three in draws.

To worsen their plight, the loss to Basake extended the Accra-based team’s woeful home run to five successive opening-day losses.

The all too familiar pattern and all-consuming underwhelming performances continue to linger around Hearts of Oak, leaving fans to call for the dismissal of manager Aboubakar Ouattara.

The performance on the day raises the question: were Holy Stars really that good, or were Hearts of Oak simply their usual disappointing selves?

Fans jeered the team as they left the stadium, with skipper Benjamin Asare (who was made to cut short his post-match presser with Hearts’ assistant coach Yaw Amankwah due to security reasons) gesturing to fans for calm as he bypassed them into the bus.

But as the 2024-25 season unravels, Hearts of Oak – who escaped relegation by the teeth last term – have something unpredictable in store for fans.

By Andrews Sefa Bamfo

The post Sefa Writes: Basake Holy Stars compound Hearts of Oak’s opening day miseries first appeared on 3News.

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