Run Hearts Run

22nd June 2007

By Thomas Boakye-Agyeman

The battle lines have been drawn and despite the fact that Asante Kotoko have been declared Champions of the 2007 One Touch Top 4 Competition, the tension and all the ingredients that normally characterize matches between Ghana’s two most popular clubs Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak can be felt ahead of the clash this Sunday at the Coronation Park, Sunyani.

Already, the appointment of Coach Abdul Karim Zito who was still negotiating with Kotoko as the deputy coach of Hearts have raised tensions between the two clubs to the highest, with a section of the Phobians claiming the presence of Zito,a true Porcupine on their bench will do the magic for their side while others believe it will rather affect the Phobians negatively.

The Phobians, still under pressure from their supporters after going through five straight matches without a win have sworn heaven and earth to spoil Kotoko’s party on Sunday. To show their seriousness in approaching the match, the Hearts team as early as Tuesday pitched camp at the residence of the chairman of Bechem United football club in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The match has been billed Kuffour versus Ishmael by most people but Asante Kotoko skipper Emmanuel Osei Kuffour disagrees as he told the Kotoko Express that there is more to the match than this.

“Before the first match, I was pitched the same way against Ishmael and though on my part I did my best and helped my club win, there was no show from the other side. Every Kotoko player selected for the match is determined to finish off the Phobian guys and it is our fervent hopes that come Sunday, the Good Lord will give us luck to enable us not only to win but do that convincingly”.

The Kotoko team lacks no motivation and if there was any inspiration needed to motivate them win against Hearts, they had that in Ghanaian International Samuel Osei Kuffour who visited the club’s training grounds on Tuesday afternoon.

Kuffour who is a staunch Kotoko fan and have consistently stressed that there are two more wishes left in his life-to don the Kotoko jersey before retiring from football and becoming a pastor is a role model for most of the players. He encouraged the players and was happy of their current performance.

Hearts of Oak might be playing for pride stake but Kotoko’s new midfield sensation Aduse Poku insists nothing should change from the first match in Cape Coast. He told the Kotoko Express that Hearts capitalized on a mistake by Kotoko to score a goal in the first leg, which is not going to happen adding that it felt good beating Hearts and that will be repeated.

“The supporters were so happy about that victory and we are gradually becoming their heroes as you are now easily recognized by the fans, it feels good and if that is what it means for Kotoko fans in winning, then why should we drop our guard, Hearts will suffer”.

Coach Bashir Hayford gave out a few words to the Kotoko Express explaining that his greatest hope is for the players to maintain their concentration throughout the match. He insists should that happen, Hearts should be no match for Kotoko as he believes in the players.

He expects Hearts to throw everything into the match and attack throughout insisting that Kotoko have the men to defend and launch offensives that will hurt their opponents.

The Kotoko Express gathers that Coach Kostadinov Dobrev might be playing his last match for Hearts but victory over his opponents might prolong his stay but the task seems too tall for him as he meets a Kotoko team capable of overturning deficits into victory, as it happened in the first match in Cape Coast.

A great match awaits spectators but you will not be far from wrong if you bet on Asante Kotoko to maul Hearts of Oak.