Ibrahim Tanko, the technical director of the Accra Lions, has criticised his players for the team’s defeat against Accra Hearts of Oak on April 22, 2022.
The Phobians won 3-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium thanks to a brace from Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and a goal from Isaac Agyenim Boateng.
The Phobians, who had lost their previous two league games, raced out of the blocks and scored the game’s first goal in just 11 minutes, thanks to Barnieh’s close-range shot.
Hearts of Oak gained control of the game after the score, with Accra Lions providing little in the final third.
After midfielder Rashid Abubakar was sent off for a harsh tackle just before halftime, the Accra Lions were reduced to 10 men.
Substitute Agyenim Boateng pounced on a fantastic through ball and netted with a low strike with a man advantage.
Barnieh completed his hat trick in the 89th minute, heading in a wonderful corner from Sulley Muntari.
“It’s very unfortunate we started very well and after ten minutes our players just drew back which was not good,” Tanko said after the game.
“I think my players gave Hearts of Oak a lot of respect which wasn’t supposed to be happening. They played the first round, saw how the league is so I expected them to play more and shouldn’t respect anyone on the pitch. It’s very unfortunate that we lost but we will go back and prepare for the next match.”
“And also, the red card that we received, it was very stupid from our players excuse me to say. So that’s what changed the game.”
Accra Lions’ next match is against Real Tamale United.
