Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Ashgold renew their rivalry when they clash in the quarter-finals of the MTN/ FA Cup on Sunday in a regional derby at the Baba Yara Stadium, in Kumasi.
Both teams have experienced contrasting fortunes in the league this season with Ashgold, the 1993 FA Cup winners, being the worst hit
Kotoko, the second most successful team after Hearts of Oak in terms of the FA Cup history, have, however, enjoyed a relatively sweet season with a healthy 10-point-lead on top of the First Capital Plus Premier League log.
Despite the vast difference in the form of both clubs, the miners, with Coach Bashir Hayford on their bench (a man who once delivered the league title to Kotoko), could have a unique opportunity to upstage the runaway league winners.
Hayford quit Kotoko in 2008 under very bizarre circumstances and was replaced by Belgian trainer, Maurice Cooreman.
Indeed, the game provides Hayford and his squad which includes former goalking, Emmanuel Baffoe, and Lawrence Lartey the only opportunity to end an 18-year trophy drought this season.
Both teams at the previous stage of the competition were given a scare by their Division One opponents with Ashgold having to fall on the penalty shoot-out drill to win 4-2 over Mighty Jets while Kotoko earned a narrow 3-2 win to eliminate Istanbul F/C.
The last time Kotoko won the FA Cup was in 2001 and Coach
Mas-Ud Didi Dramani will be keen to end the Porcupine Warrior’s long drought in the competition with a win over the miners to set the stage for their eighth FA Cup triumph.
In the other quarter-finals fixtures, Inter Allies host Hasaacas tomorrow while Okwawu United face defending champions Medeama SC in an outstanding round-of-16 game on Sunday.
