Heart of Lions head coach Bashir Hayford has attributed his team's 2-0 loss to Great Olympics on Saturday to the windy conditions at the WAFA Park in Sogakope.
Yusif Razak scored a brace for Great Olympics, once in each half, to secure a comfortable victory for the Accra-based club and extend their perfect record in the second round.
Hayford expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the game but acknowledged that the wind was a major factor.
"The performance wasn't bad, only that I told you from the beginning that the only disadvantage is the wind. It is very difficult to play against the wind and even for the wind," he said in a post-game interview.
The coach further noted that the wind affected his team's ability to control the ball, particularly in the second goal, where the ball bounced and changed direction.
Despite this challenge, Hayford believed that his players performed well. "I think the boys have done very well...we played very well," he added.
With this loss, Heart of Lions dropped to 16th place on the league table with 18 points. They will host Real Tamale United in their next match at the Kpando Stadium.