Joseph Afful

Striker - Heart of Lions
15 Nov 2026
Sunday
Process

Marked for Joseph Afful

10 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

5 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

5 matches without a win for Heart of Lions

The run now stands at 5, and the questions being asked around Heart of Lions are no longer polite ones.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Kwadwo Obeng Junior

Successful dribbles: 24. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

Squad

Tempers go at Heart of Lions

Ebenezer Abban was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Boardroom

Wages eat 170% of everything Heart of Lions earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Loan watch

Sheriff Alabani wants to come home

“I did not go to Aduana Stars to sit and watch. I want to come back to Heart of Lions and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 5 matches say the rest.

Match

Heart of Lions come up short against Asante Kotoko

Asante Kotoko left with the points after a 0‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

In brief

Back issues
8 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

21 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Lawrence Osei in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Heart of Lions this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Player ratings

Etse Dogli runs at them all day

Successful dribbles: 20. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.

Match

Heart of Lions come up short against Great Olympics

Great Olympics left with the points after a 0‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Squad

Fawzi Ali gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Player ratings

Ruben Hennessy's mistake decides it

Ten men and a goalkeeper behind him, and it still finished in the net. He knew before anybody told him, and nobody at Heart of Lions needed to.

Squad

Joseph Afful makes his debut at 19

At 19 years old, Joseph Afful became the latest name off the academy production line to be handed a senior shirt.

In brief

7 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

14 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Crisis

The terraces

The boos come down from three sides

“We pay for this every fortnight. The least we want is somebody who looks like he cares.” 6 of the 28 senior players walked off into it; the rest were not playing.

Market

Heart of Lions turn down BA All Stars for Kelvin Asenso

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

So close: Joseph Afful’s move dies late

The fee was agreed and the flight was looked at — and then the phone stopped ringing. BA All Stars moved on, Joseph Afful reports back to Heart of Lions, and everybody pretends Monday is just Monday.

Squad

Ebenezer Abban in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Heart of Lions this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Match

Kwadwo Obeng Junior’s goal not enough for Heart of Lions

Kwadwo Obeng Junior scored, and precious little else went right: 1‑3 to Wa All Stars, and a quiet walk to the dressing room.

Player ratings

Kwadwo Obeng Junior in the eights

A performance of 8.63 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.

Squad

Lawrence Osei gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Anthony Owusu

Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

Player ratings

The one thing Michael Noumon could not do

Shots: 8, enough of them from close enough that a striker in form scores two. He is not a striker in form.

In brief

4 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

24 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Joseph Afful hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Heart of Lions can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Heart of Lions turn down Aduana Stars for Sheriff Alabani

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Squad

Tempers go at Heart of Lions

Ebenezer Abban was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Market

Eyes on Ishmael Addo again

The phone has started ringing about Ishmael Addo again, and this time the name on the line is Hearts of Oak. Heart of Lions are listening politely and promising nothing.

Squad

Michael Ephson knocks on the manager’s door

“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Michael Ephson trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.

Squad

Somebody is after Kwadwo Obeng Junior’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Kwadwo Obeng Junior suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Heart of Lions have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

In brief

3 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

17 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Heart of Lions turn down Wa All Stars for Michael Noumon

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Squad

Ebenezer Abban in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Heart of Lions this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Market

Atta Kusi placed on the list

Heart of Lions have made Atta Kusi available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

1 Edition

The Heart of Lions Herald

3 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Kwadwo Obeng Junior signs on for more

“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Kwadwo Obeng Junior and Heart of Lions agree another 3 years.

Squad

Tempers go at Heart of Lions

Ebenezer Abban was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Market

Eyes on Dickson Sakabutu again

The phone has started ringing about Dickson Sakabutu again, and this time the name on the line is New Edubiase United. Heart of Lions are listening politely and promising nothing.

Market

Still no ink between Heart of Lions and Lawrence Osei

“We keep meeting, and we keep leaving the room with the same numbers we walked in with.” Another round of talks at Heart of Lions, another week without a signature from Lawrence Osei.

Market

49 months and counting on Kwesi Pong

Still no offer on the table, and Kwesi Pong’s deal keeps shrinking. In boardroom language, silence this long stops being an oversight and starts being an answer.

Market

No place for Joseph Afful in the plan

“The manager did not use many words, and he did not need to.” Joseph Afful has his answer from Heart of Lions; what he does with it is the next window’s story.

In brief