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Hearts, Kotoko poised to set Kumasi ablaze in President’s Cup

Kumasi Asante Kotoko and fierce rivals Accra Hearts of Oak will provide the prelude to the freshly-outdoored Ghana Premier League season (GPL) when the two sides sweat it out at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium tomorrow.

Both sides have been preparing feverishly for the clash with their sights set on earning the bragging rights and to put their teeming fans in a positive mood when the league roars off the ensuing week.

The Phobians will be counting on their good record at Baba Yara to spur them on as they aim to revenge their 5-4 penalty loss to the Porcupines on home turf in the Normalisation Committee (NC) Cup.

It may appear an uphill task for them – with the Porcupines current restructuring under returnee trainer Maxwell Konadu – who has hit the ground running since signing a two-year deal last weekend.

The former Black Stars assistant and CHAN head coach, reckons how important a victory over his bitterest rivals will galvanise support from the fan base for his tenure and is therefore leaving no stone unturned in winning his first official game on his second spell in charge.

Konadu’s counterpart on the Hearts bench, Kim Grant, since assuming the role a year ago, resorted to building a sturdy crop of talented youngsters that will be eager to prove they are ripe for the new season.

It will be interesting to witness how Kim Grant’s obsession with possessive football and subtle passing squares up with Konadu’s finesse for compactness and quick counter attacking play.

Both sides have the men to deliver the goods with the Oseikrom boys edging their counterparts in the area of experience.

Nonetheless, lethal striker Joseph Esso is expected to lead his teammate such as Michelle Sarpong, Benjamin Afutu, Manaf Umar, Mohammed Alhassan and Christopher Bonney for the Porcupine onslaught.

Meanwhile, the Asanteman lads will miss captain and safest pair of hands, Felix Annan, who is out injured, but the Porcupines have a dependable replacement in national Under-23 goalie Kwame Baah, who will be joined by danger-man Emmanuel Gyamfi, Sogne Yacouba, Justice Blay, Ampem Da Costa and Patrick Yeboah to silence the Phobians in front of a pet home crowd.

BY NANA BENTSI ODURO 

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