‘We’ll inflict more pain on Hearts’ - Kotoko captain
Following a fine run in this season’s league, Kumasi Asante Kotoko skipper, Amos Frimpong, is confident rivals Accra Hearts of Oak will be no match for them when they clash at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
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In his view, their joint-top position on the league log with Aduana Stars is not a fluke but by dint of hard work, and expressed the belief the ‘Rainbow’ club will leave the Accra Sports Stadium bruised as they plan to descend heavily on them.
Frimpong, who made a return to the team last Wednesday against WAFA following his wrist injury, did not mince words when he told the Graphic Sports in an interview yesterday that they were going to add to the misery of Hearts on Sunday.
"We are confident of beating Hearts of Oak on Sunday with the current confidence in camp. It will definitely happen that we will inflict more pain on Hearts because we are more than prepared for the match," Frimpong said.
Hearts of Oak have been inconsistent and mostly falter when it matters most but this duel could be the biggest test for Scottish coach, Frank Nuttall, whose side seems the underdogs in this encounter.
Both Nuttall and Kotoko’s Croatian coach, Zdravko Logarusic may have a slight appreciation of this clash but may not be aware of what a defeat could mean to either side or their fans and most especially the bragging rights that come with victory.
With Hearts still trailing in the statistics between the two teams, especially, on their own backyard which has become a fortress for the Porcupine Warriors, who have won five of the last 10 games at the Accra Sports Stadium.
This time around Hearts’ Coach Nuttall will be counting on Patrick Razak, Malik Akowuah, Cosmos Dauda, Thomas Abbey, Vincent Atinga and Inusah Musah to give Emmanuel Gyamfi, Sarfo Gyamfi, Abeiku Ainooson, Jackson Owusu and Baba Mahama and Yakubu Mohammed, a run for their money.
Whatever formation both coaches would device, the fans would hope it would produce the desired result and offer them the best of football on Sunday.
• At other centres Inter Allies will seek to unleash their misery on Tema Youth when they play at the El-Wak Stadium, while trouble looms for Accra Great Olympics when they travel to the T&A Park in Tarkwa to lock horns with Medeama.
Ebusua Dwarfs will aim at scuttling the dreams of the league leaders, Aduana Stars, when they host them at the Cape Coast Stadium; Ashgold’s woes could continue at the Nduom Stadium when they play Elmina Sharks; while Bolga All Stars will attempt a giant-killing feat when they welcome Bechem United to the Tamale Sports Stadium.
The Sogakope Park will be a slippery terrain for visiting Berekum Chelsea when they play West Africa Football Academy (WAFA), while Liberty Professionals will hope to use Wa All Stars to move up on the league log when they play clash the Carl Reindorf Park at Dansoman.
