GPL: Hearts of Oak v Asante Kotoko preview
The biggest fixture on the Ghanaian football calendar is here once again. Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko will rekindle their eternal rivalry this Sunday at the Accra Sports stadium in front of 30,000 fans.
The Match Day 7 fixture which was postponed due to Hearts of Oak’s participation in the CAF Inter Club competition will finally see the day of light come Sunday.
Last season, the two teams drew 1-1 in the first round before Daniel Afriyie Barnieh’s strike gave the Phobians the three points in the second round, a win that eventually won them the league title after a decade.
Unlike like last season, the defending champions trail their rivals by 12 points and sit 7 places below them with all to play for on Sunday.
Hearts are the weaker of the two, recording four wins against Accra Lions, Bibiani Gold Stars, Techiman Eleven Wonders and King Faisal, three draws against Bechem United, Dreams FC and RTU and two defeats against Karela and Great Olympics in their last nine Premier League matches.
Hearts are coming into the game after drawing blank with Real Tamale United on their visit to the Aliou Mahama Stadium.
Leaders Asante Kotoko bounced back from their loss to Elmina Sharks with a 3-1 trashing of Accra Lions at the Baba Yara Sports stadium last weel Saturday.
Asante Kotoko have won three (against Bibiani Gold Stars, Legon Cities and Aduana FC), drawn two (against Karela United and Berekum Chelsea) and lost one ( Elmina Sharks) in their last six matches on the road –scoring four and conceding three in the process.
Match Facts
This will be the 109th league meeting between these two sides. During that time, Hearts have won the most (37) while Kotoko are two behind their opponent (35) with 36 games also ending in a stalemate.
Also in the last five meetings at the Accra Sports Stadium in the top-flight, Kotoko have seen three wins compared to the Rainbow Club’s two.
The Phobians have lost one (Great Olympics), drawn one (Bechem United) and won four (Accra Lions, Berekum Chelsea, Eleven Wonders and King Faisal) in their last six home matches in Accra.
Read: Road to Super Clash: Asante Kotoko aiming for a 100% win reocrd over Accra based clubs
Team News
The purchase of Sulley Muntari has changed the feeling in the locker room but he has yet to inspire the team to victory in two appearances.
The former Inter Milan man came on as a second half substitute against Great Olympics and played for about 75 minutes against Real Tamale United but none of those games ended in a win as Hearts lost to Olympics and drew goalless with RTU.
Another seasoned campaigner who has joined the Phobians is former captain of Ebusua Dwarfs Dennis Korsah, who is a direct replacement for Raddy Ovouka.
Unfortunately, Hearts of Oak will be without star man, Ibrahim Salifu.
Kotoko will miss Fabio Gama and Isaac Oppong as both players are recovering from injuries, with Imoro Ibrahim and Georges Mfegue returning after missing the last game due to card accumulation.
Hearts Possible 11
Atta, Korsah, Sewornu, Fataw, Sumaila, Ansah Botchway, Nurudeen, Muntari, Mensah, Barnie, Kordzi
Kotoko Possible 11
Danlad, Agyapong, Ganiu, Mubarik, Imoro, Blay, Boadu, Lamptey, Mfegue, Mbella, Amankona
Players to Watch
Hearts of Oak’s top scorer this season is Kofi Kordzie and he has not scored since January 16 after his brace inspired the Phobians to a 4-1 win against Eleven Wonders in Accra.
With 7 goals scored already in the league after 16 games, the Voltarian will be the man to watch for the Kotoko defenders as he looks a real threat connecting spaces when Hearts are attacking.
Franck Thierry Etouga Mbella has peaked at the right time and would be crucial to Kotoko’s success in Sunday’s encounter with Cameronian marksman scoring in back to back matches – a brace against Great Olympics and a hat –trick against Accra Lions to take his season tally to 11 goals in 14 matches – making him the leading scorer in the League.
Prediction
Hearts of Oak 0-0 Asante Kotoko
