Heart of Lions lose 1-0 to Kotoko as Gokyildiz stays confident

Heart of Lions were beaten 1-0 by Asante Kotoko in a friendly on Tuesday, but coach Kasim Gokyildiz said the result had not changed his belief that the team would be ready for the 2026/27 season.

The match formed part of Heart of Lions’ preparations for the new campaign. Gokyildiz took charge at the end of last season, succeeding veteran Ghanaian coach Bashiru Hayford, and is now overseeing the club’s build-up to the opening round of league fixtures.

Despite the defeat, the Turkish coach was satisfied with the display from his players. He said they showed the required quality and indicated that their performance offered encouragement ahead of the start of competitive football.

Gokyildiz has placed greater importance on how his squad carries out its instructions than on the scorelines in preparation matches. The friendly against Kotoko therefore served as an opportunity to assess the players’ application of his demands and their progress under his methods.

Heart of Lions will start their Ghana Premier League campaign against Aduana FC. The opening fixture will give Gokyildiz his first competitive opportunity to put his preparations into practice and begin his tenure with the club’s league team.

The coach’s focus remains on having the squad properly prepared when the season begins. The loss to Kotoko provided a test before that point, while his assessment of the performance suggested that he believes the team has a solid base to build on.