Sunday’s Champs League clash: Coach Bash sure of victory
Premier League champions AshantiGold, have put last Sunday's controversial Super Cup defeat to Medeama behind them as Coach Bashir Hayford and his charges count on a good performance, against M.O. Bejaia of Algeria in the first leg preliminary round of the CAF Champions League at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium on Sunday.
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Coach Hayford said he was hopeful of a win on Sunday to get their continental campaign off well.
“I don't believe in predictions but I am hoping to have a good performance, a good day, and a good win,” he told the Graphic Sports after training yesterday at Obuasi.
“It has been difficult putting this team together. You know some of the players are new, especially the strikers, and it will take some time for them to gel.
“If the Premier League had been in action, they would have seen more activity to make them ready by now. But I am hoping for the best on Sunday”, he contended.
At yesterday’s training at the Len Clay Stadium at Obuasi, the players appear less worried about last Sunday’s loss as Coach Hayford and his technical assistants of Yakubu Mambo and former defender Kofi Amoako took the players through drills in goal scoring.
Coach Hayford reckoned that the team's main headache was goal scoring, a challenge that emerged in last Sunday's Super Cup game. Nonetheless, he was hopeful his charges would get their acts together for a comfortable win at home.
Five days ahead of their big continental clash, the Soccer Miners are racing against time to get playmaker Emmanuel Osei Baffour fully fit to feature on Sunday. He suffered a knock at training yesterday, while left-back Hudu Yakubu and goalkeeper George Apronti are being treated for malaria.
AshantiGold are hoping to re-enact the 1997 showing where they exhibited scintillating performance to reach the final, only to lose to inaugural Champions League winners, Raja Casablanca, on penalties.
Bejaia are expected in Kumasi on Friday where they would be lodging at the Golden Tulip Kumasi City Hotel, having turned down hotels at Obuasi. From the Garden City, they will travel to the mining town by road on Suturday for their only training session before the match day.
