After falling at the Tarkwa T&A park last Wednesday to CAF Confedration Cup contenders, Medeama SC, Accra Hearts of Oak have yet another difficult task on hand when they travel to Kumasi on Sunday to face Alhaji Gruzah’s King Faisal Babies in a cracking First Capital Plus Premier League match-up at the Baba Yara Stadium.
It is a match both Coach Mohammed Polo and Faisal need to win badly for obvious reasons. For Polo, he needs to placate the Phobians after that painful loss at Tarkwa, while Gruzah’s boys’ premiership survival depends heavily on the outcome of this game.
After their convincing 3-0 win over Amidaus Professionals last Sunday, Hearts sent a positive signal to their followers and many football pundits, including rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko, that they were back to business.
But that resurgence for the league title was deflated last Wednesday with the away defeat to Medeama.
The stage has, therefore, been set for a very cagey encounter, particularly coming a few days after King Faisal’s stunning 1-0 victory over league leaders Kotoko on the same grounds last week.
Indeed, the Phobians might still be haunted by the troubles that striker Sulley Mohammed handed their defence when he led the charge against them in their first round encounter in Accra. Faisal managed to claw a point from that game to the disappointment of the home fans.
Coach Polo, still battling with injuries to key players such as Winful Cobbinah, Emmanuel Hayford and Nuru Sulley, is under pressure to craft a winning plan with the likes of Robin Gnagne, Selasie Adjei and Owusu Bempah.
• Leaders Asante Kotoko, after that great 4-1 performance against Ashantigold last week, are favourites at the Dansoman Carl Reindorf park where they play Liberty Professionals who have not been consistent this season.
• At the Tarkwa T & A park, bottom-placed Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs will seek an antidote to their recent troubles which have kept them languishing at the bottom of the league table as they go all out against in-form Medeama SC.
Dwarfs, who were kicked out of the CAF Confedration Cup will also be without their trusted coach, Professor Mintah, who reportedly parted ways with them early this week.
Amidaus Professionals also host Dormaa-based Aduana Stars at Tema without Coach Tanko Shaibu, with Berekum Chelsea locking horns with the ‘Giants of the West’, Sekondi Hasaacas at Berekum.
• In the other fixtures, Kpando Heart of Lions welcome Inter Allies, while tottering Ashantigold clash with bogey side, New Edubiase, at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium..
• Bechem United and Wa All Stars open the week 20 fixtures at Bechem tomorrow.
