Aduana coach confident - Play Al Tahaddy Sunday
Chris Nunoo
Sports News
Ghana’s champions, Aduana Stars venture into yet another continental campaign on Sunday with coach Yusif Abubakar confident of success against Libyan side Al Tahaddy SC at the Petro Sports Stadium in Cairo, Egypt.
Aduana were given a baptism of fire in their first appearance in the CAF Champions League as they were shown the exit by WAC of Morocco in the preliminary round. This time however, Coach Abubakar hopes to build on their recent domestic success to make a bigger impression in Africa’s flagship club competition.
Playing in Cairo could provide a level playing field for both sides as the Al Tahaddy have been compelled to play home away from home due to the volatile security situation in Libya.
Aduana’s victory over Kumasi Asante kotoko to win the Super Cup at the Len Clay Stadium, was the clearest indication that the Ghana champions are in fine form for their Champions League game.
Coach Abubakar is confident his boys are well prepared for the task ahead.
''They are ever ready and you look at their motivation and some of the actions of the players — their emotional aspect of it, they are well prepared, they are ready,'' he said in an interview.
''And they have self motivation that I could see from their body languages that they are eager to give their best.
''The only problem I have with them concerning their readiness is that the expectation at this point is too high,” he said before the team departed for Egypt yesterday.
And even before the team emplaned to Cairo, the team was handed a morale booster with the club’s owner and Dormaahene, Oseadeayo Nana Agyeman Badu, promising the players a winning bonus of $2,000 each, among other incentives if they get to the group phase, otherwise known as the ‘money zone’.
Coach Abubakar may have lost experienced defender Godfred Saka and shot stopper Stephen Adams but he still has strength in depth with goalkeeper Joseph Addo in fine form and supported at the rear by Caleb Amankwaa, Paul Aidoo, Farouk Adams and Emmanuel Akuoko. In midfield players such as Zakaria Mumuni, Ahotoh Gockel, Elvis Opoku and Noah Martey will provide linkrole for forwards Nathaniel Asamoah and Derek Sasraku.