Football clubs’ resolve are mostly tested when the league they partake in is getting to the dying embers.
The twilight of every competition tests the mental and physical state of the principal actors as by then, fatigue and stress might have set in due to the workload.
Ghana Premier League club, Hearts of Oak are no exception to this energy sapping moment but their poor outing in the latter part of the Ghana Premier League last season and this term leaves much to be desired.
A step back to last season shows that, the club loses steam during the closing stages of the campaign.
The record FA Cup holders did not record a single win in their last five matches last term – only picking a home draw against Karela United.
They followed it up with three away losses against now relegated Eleven Wonders [2-1], King Faisal [1-0] and Great Olympics 3-0 before falling heavily by 4-1 at home to Real Tamale United in the last game of the season.
The bouts of poor performances looks like raising its ugly head one more time in the ongoing season with three matches to end the campaign.
The 2000 CAF Champions League winners have managed just a win in their last five games with that coming against strugglers, King Faisal.
The 2004 CAF Confederation Cup winners have gone on to lose four straight games in between the loss to King Faisal.
The losses came against Bechem United [1-0], Tamale City [4-0] Samartex [3-2] and Medeama SC [5-1] to finally crush their hopes of winning the 2022/23 BetPawa Premier League title.
Hearts of Oak will go trophiless this season having been kicked out of the second tier club competition, the MTN FA Cup.
Per the results churned out in the latter part of last season and with history repeating itself this term, could it be that the playing body has not get proper pre-season drilling to meet up with pressure of last and this season?