Ghana’s number one keeper Benjamin Asare nears full fitness

Hearts of Oak’s goalkeeping ranks is set to be boosted by the return of Ghana’s number one shot stopper Benjamin Asare.

Asare has been absent from Hearts of Oak in the last eight Ghana Premier League games due to the injury he picked up in the Black Stars international friendly against South Korea in November at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

The four-time African champions lost by a narrow 1-0 score line, courtesy of Lee Tae-Seok’s 63rd-minute goal. Benjamin Asare saved a penalty when Ghana was already 1-0 down.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is approaching, and the 33-year-old will need to stay fit with more games in the domestic top flight.

Hearts of Oak head coach, Mas Ud Didi Dramani, has given an injury update on the former Great Olympics keeper’s return to full fitness.

Benjamin Asare Has Not Played Since Late November

“Benjamin (Asare) trained throughout last week. So he is about seventy per cent ready. He played 30 minutes of our friendly game last week,” Didi Dramani said after Hearts of Oak’s week 16 fixture.

“We are trying to integrate him gradually so that he comes back. He went out with a force majeure, so that influences how we reintegrate him into the squad.”

Asare, who has made eight appearances for the 2000 CAF Champions League winners, is likely to make the match-day squad when Hearts of Oak travel to the Tarkwa TnA Park on Friday as guests of joint leaders Medeama in the final game of the first half of the season. Hearts of Oak currently sit fifth in the league with 28 points, just two points behind Medeama.