Hearts of Oak began their preparations for the 2026/27 season with a 3-2 victory over Charis United in a pre-season friendly at the Kpobiman training ground.
The Phobians scored three times in a match that gave the club’s technical team another opportunity to assess the squad before the new campaign. Martin Karikari and centre-back Ali Mohammed were among the scorers for Hearts, while new signing Amidou Diarra also found the net.
Diarra is currently with the club on assessment, and his goal provided him with an opportunity to make an early impression as Hearts continue to evaluate their available options. The friendly formed part of the club’s wider preparations before the start of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.
The match was also an important stage in the work of new head coach Eric Tinkler, who is continuing to shape his team and determine the players who can form part of his plans for the campaign. The technical staff are assessing the squad during the build-up as the club seeks to assemble a competitive side.
Hearts have been active away from the pitch as they prepare for the new season. The club has appointed a new technical team, settled outstanding financial obligations and unveiled a new home kit for the upcoming campaign.
Those developments have taken place alongside the team’s on-field preparations, with the victory over Charis United offering another competitive outing for Tinkler and his players. The result gives Hearts a winning start to this phase of their preparations, although the focus remains on assessing the squad and strengthening the team before the season begins.
With the opening of the campaign approaching, Hearts of Oak are expected to make further additions to key areas of the squad. The club’s aim is to build a competitive team capable of competing in the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.
The 3-2 result therefore served both as a positive outcome and as part of the broader process of finalising the squad. Karikari, Mohammed and Diarra were on target as Hearts continued their preparations, while the technical team used the game to examine the options available to the club under Tinkler.
