Heart of Lions coach dismisses result after 1-0 Kotoko loss

Heart of Lions head coach Kasim Gokyildiz has played down the importance of his team’s 1-0 defeat by Asante Kotoko in a pre-season friendly. The coach said his main concern is how the players perform rather than the result of a warm-up match.

The loss was Heart of Lions’ latest preparation fixture as the club works towards the 2026/27 season. Gokyildiz is using these games to judge whether his players can carry out the instructions and tactical demands being introduced during preparations.

He remained positive about the squad after the defeat, saying the players had shown enough quality in the match. His assessment was based on their performance and their response to the requirements set by the technical team, not on the final score.

Gokyildiz’s position is that friendly matches provide an opportunity to measure individual and collective progress. He considers the evidence from the players’ work during the games more valuable than whether Heart of Lions win or lose before the competitive campaign begins.

The coach took charge towards the end of Heart of Lions’ previous Ghana Premier League campaign. The club had struggled during that season and only narrowly avoided relegation, leaving Gokyildiz with the task of improving the team ahead of the new campaign.

His focus now is on building a stronger side for 2026/27. The 1-0 scoreline against Asante Kotoko therefore does not alter his stated priority: assessing the squad’s performances and ensuring the players are better prepared for the season ahead.