Hearts lose Hayford and four key players

Ghanaian Premier League giants Accra Hearts of Oak have suffered a massive injury blow after losing five key members of their squad to various degrees of injury ahead of the season.

Midfielder Emmanuel Hayford, strikers Kwame Kizito and Maxwell Boakye as well as Kenneth Okoro are all in the treatment room and are likely to miss the proposed start date of the league season.

Defender Isaac Oduro, who enjoyed a successful debut season at the club last term, is also nursing an injury.

Head coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi must prepare his squad for the season without the quintet.

The Ghana FA has proposed December 20 for the start of the new Ghanaian season.