TEAM NEWS: Ghandy Kassenu has been ruled out for a week whilst Richard Yamoah is also close to full-fitness. Thomas Abbey and Soulama Abdoulaye will be hoping to get a taste of the action having returned from injury and suspension respectively. Sarbah Emmanuel Layea is a doubt for the game.
MATCH PREVIEW:
Accra Hearts of Oak will renew Ghana football’s oldest rivalry in this year’s President’s Cup by hosting Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, 1st July, 2016.
The Phobians are the most successful side in this cup competition having won the President’s Cup an unprecedented four times, and they could add to their haul by getting the perfect five with victory over Kotoko on Friday.
Hearts beat their arch-rivals last year in the competition at the Accra Sports Stadium. After a barren ninety minutes of non-stop football action, Hearts triumphed 5-4 on penalties to win the club’s fourth President’s Cup since its inception in 2003.
The Continental Club Masters have the opportunity of making it a consecutive hat-trick of victories if they beat Kotoko on Sunday. Hearts have won the last two President’s Cup and they will also etch their name in the record books as being the only side to ever do so in Ghana.
Last year, Kotoko were beaten narrowly on penalties with Soulama Abdoulaye being the hero-on-day after forcing his former club to miss their first kick.
There was a 2-0 victory over Medeama in 2013, both scored by Don Mahatma Otoo in the opening 20 minutes of the game, to help Hearts to a first President’s Cup trophy since 2009.
But Asante Kotoko will come into the game with a mindset of avenging their last defeat in the President’s Cup and wrestling the bragging right from under the noses of the Phobians.
However, coach Sérgio Traguil’s side will also want to have a say on the President’s Cup, having excited fans with their champagne brand of football from their last two games. Hearts have changed their style of play upon the insistence of the Portuguese coach, who prefers his side to play a possession-based football at all times.
The coach is already stamping his style on the team and this has been visible from the last two games of the club. He will be hoping to get his hand on the President’s Cup which could go a long way to providing the team with the spark to go on a full assault on the league in the second round.
Hearts are expected to make a few changes to the starting line having played on Wednesday and with only a day to rest for the players. It however behooves on the set of players who will be given the nod to take the opportunity with full hands so as to bring competition in the team for the second round.
MATCH FACTS: Hearts have won the President’s Cup four times since its inception in 2003.
2003: Hearts - Liberty 2005: Hearts 0 – 1 Kotoko 2009: Hearts 1 – 1 Sekondi XI Wise [5-4 on pens] 2013: Hearts 2 – 0 Medeama 2015: Hearts 0 – 0 Kotoko (5-4 on pens). 2016: Hearts ? - ? Kotoko