Sports

Matic set to break 5-yr Akoon Park jinx …as Hearts face Medeama, Kotoko engage Kotoku Royals

Under-Fire Accra Hearts of Oak gaffer, Slavko Matic, needs a win today as his side faces Medeama in a betPawa Ghana Premier League (GPL) match day 14 fixture; struggling to clutch unto his job.

Hearts, defending champions of the FA Cup were eliminated by Dreams who stunned them 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium last Sun­day with the ‘Phobians’ fumbling a late penalty-kick.

Hearts’ exit has led to flaring tempers among the fan base who have started questioning Slavko’s ability to lead the Phobians to league glory.

Slavko needs a win to douse the growing disquiet before it takes the shape of a siren loud enough to catch the attention of the upper echelons of the club who have the power to decide his fate.

Hearts, fourth on the table with 21 points and seven places above Medeama who lie 10th with 17 points have found the Akoon Park a waterloo and an unfavourable venue.

The Phobians, currently on a four game undefeated romp – win­ning three and drawing one, are yet to win at Tarkwa since a 2-0 win in 2016; losing the last four attempts.

This means that if Slavko is able to break the Akoon jinx for the ‘Rainbow boys’ his current woes will be put on the back burner for a while.

For this to happen, Slavko must tackle the erratic tendencies of his team and their wastefulness in front of goal, weaknesses he admitted to after the FA Cup loss to Dreams.

Another headache for Slavko is missing the influential Caleb Amankwaa and five key stars including Gladson Awako, Seidu Suraj, Konadu Yiadom, Dennis Korsah and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh.

The quintet are away on national team duty with the Black Galaxies at the ongoing CHAN in Algeria.

Talisman Ibrahim Salifu who has not been flamboyant since making a return from injury, experienced Samuel Inkoom, promising young­ster Amankwaa Baafi and striker Kwadwo Obeng Jnr are available to lead Slavko’s charge.

The task would be an ardu­ous one for the visitors with the ‘Mauve and Yellows’ on a straight three game home win and coach Abdul Rabi Umar eager to keep the momentum on course.

Third-placed Asante Kotoko will welcome bottom-club Kotoku Royals to the Baba Yara Stadium tomorrow eager to end their four-game consecutive stalemate.

Eager to get their title chase on track, Kotoko coach, Zerbo has to fix what he described as a “lack of concentration” that has resulted in Kotoko drawing their last two fixtures from winning positions.

In other games, leaders Aduana Stars host second-placed Accra Lions at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park whilst Samartex, who have added Kotoko striker Samuel Boateng and Medeama’s Ebenezer Ackhabi to their fold on loan deals, face King Faisal at Samreboi.

Also, Karela United will play as guests of Great Olympics at the Accra Sports Stadium, Real Tamale United (RTU) contend with Nsoa­treman in Tamale with Chelsea and Dreams locking horns at the Berekum Golden City Park.

In another clash today, Tamale City faces Gold Stars in a mouth­watering affair at the Aliu Mahama Stadium.

BY NANA BENTSI ODURO

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