Hearts of Oak head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has played down concerns over the absence of two key players, insisting his side remains strong ahead of their game with Dreams FC at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
Striker Mawuli Wayo, who sealed a dramatic stoppage-time winner in last weekend’s 1–0 away victory over struggling Hohoe United to keep Hearts’ title hopes alive, will miss the match after picking up a yellow card that resulted in a suspension.
Centre-back Kelvin Osei Asibey is also ruled out of Friday’s encounter due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
However, Dramani remains unfazed, expressing confidence in the depth and unity of his squad as they prepare for the clash.
“The key aspect is that we have a consolidated team, and so we are a team. Whether you like it or not, these two players will not be eligible. And so once players are not eligible, we try not to even focus on them.
“You know, even in training, we try to concentrate on those that we can fill in. Apart from these two, there are still others that are also not available, you know, because of injuries. And then we have survived all this period.
“I think that it’s a very short cut, but I think that Mawuli will learn from that. Out of excitement, you need to be very modest so that you don’t lose your head. Because he’s an important person in our setup,” he said.
Hearts of Oak sit fifth on the table with 31 points from 18 matches, and boast of a solid defensive record after conceding just seven goals, despite struggling for goals with only 12 scored.
They head into Friday’s clash in strong home form, having won their last three home games without conceding, and will look to extend that run against Dreams FC—a side they have rarely dropped points to at home since 2020.
Meanwhile, Dreams FC travel in high spirits after a 3–0 win over Heart of Lions, their third victory in five league games.
While they boast a strong attack, defensive issues persist with 20 goals conceded in 18 matches.
