Bechem must hold on as Wa All Stars look for lifeline
The first taste of CAF Champions League action has been a baptism of fire for Ghana Premier League (GPL) champions, Wa All Stars, who slipped badly at home last week, but they are determined to hold on to some pride even if their debut does not go as planned.
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Last Sunday, Wa All Stars went down 1-3 to Al Ahli Tripoli at the Tamale Stadium and now face a daunting task as they travel to face the Libyans in the second leg this weekend.
Without much experience in the Champions League and with such a heavy defeat, the situation looks hopeless for Coach Enos Adepa and his charges, particularly after he has reportedly admitted that it will only take a miracle for his team to qualify for the next round of the competition.
With Al Ahli Tripoli having a very good start, their moral will, no doubt be boosted to go all out against Wa All Stars, who now need a miracle to score three unanswered goals to overturn the deficit and gain qualification.
If Wa All Stars can make a headway, it will be necessary for them to keep an eye on danger men, Muaid Eleif and Anas Saltou, who scored two of Al Ahli’s three goals.
Meanwhile, Bechem United, can be confident of their chances after beating MC Alger’s 2-1 in the first leg of their Confederations Cup opener at the Accra Stadium last weekend as they also travel to Algeria this weekend for the second leg.
Despite the 2-1 win and that slim advantage, Coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese and his charges need to work a little harder to either protect that lead or increase the tally to maintain their edge over the Algerians, who are determined to turn the table at home.
To tame the homesters in their own backyard, Coach Alberto Annese will surely need the services of last week’s two goals heroes, Ahmed Toure and Kwaku Osei Bonsu, as well as Daniel Agyin and Asante Agyeman, who took charge of the defence in the first encounter.
Being their first ever continental assignments and Ghana’s only hope in Africa, both Wa All Stars and Bechem United, have no option than to weather the storms and keep the hope alive in their respective continental assignments.
