Tough duels for Hearts, Kotoko
Kumasi Asante Kotoko have plotted a vengeance mission against Heart of Lions to consolidate their lead but surely need to go the extra mile to tame their opponents in this afternoon’s Week 22 First Capital Plus League cracker at the Baba Yara Stadium.
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Between Kotoko and fifth-placed Lions now is a 15-point difference, but the pitch battle appears tighter than the figures, considering how the Kpando lads have been a perennial torn in the flesh of the Porcupine Warriors since gaining promotion into the elite class over a decade ago.
Only last year, Lions showed Kotoko no respect in their first round clash at Kpando which resulted in a 2-0 humiliation. That is one defeat the runaway leaders are bent on avenging today after Coach Didi Dramani had told a press conference in Kumasi yesterday that he was going to adopt an all-attacking game against the Lions, who might also have their own ideas to perform another giant-killing feat in front of the partisan home fans.
And for the Kotoko fraternity, the appointment of FIFA referee Joseph Lamptey for the big match invokes bitter memories of what has become known as the ‘Yembo biom’ saga after a penalty award to Lions resulted in a boycott of the 2004 GHALCA Top 4 final at the Accra Stadium.
Though the title looks distant, Accra Hearts of Oak are still holding tight to their ‘Never Say Die’ slogan as they hope for a badly-needed revenge against struggling Ashantigold in Accra to narrow the 11-point gap between them and sworn rivals Kotoko.
The Phobians lost the first round 0-1 under estranged Coach David Duncan but Mohammed Polo has a huge challenge to settle the scores against the Miners who have been having a terrible run in the competition of late under their trusted coach, Bashir Hayford.
•At Bekwai, gifted Asiedu Attobrah is expected to lead ninth-placed New Edubiase United to improve their position at the expense of visting Liberty Professionals, while Inter Allies will be highly motivated to complete the double over Berekum Chelsea at Tema after eliminating them from the MTN FA Cup last Sunday.
• At Essipong, seventh-placed Hasaacas will have territorial advantage over fourth-placed Bechem United; last but one Aduana Stars need to win at all cost against King Faisal at Dormaa-Ahenkro, while bottom-placed Dwarfs need to conjure some magic to hypnotise Amidaus Professionals at the Cape Coast Robert Mensah Stadium.
The All Stars-Medeama game has been shifted to April 3 due to the latter’s CAF Confederation Cup return leg against Zesco United in Lusaka on Sunday.