Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak face off in the biggest game of the Ghana Premier League season at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi on Sunday.
Uncharacteristically of the super clash, Sunday’s battle will not be a fight for the apex of the table; rather, it will all be about pride and a quest to reshape their respective seasons, which have been inconsistent so far.
Both Kotoko and Hearts of Oak go into the battle way off the top spot, having respectively tasted three and four defeats so far after nine games this season.
Comparatively, Kotoko are having a better season as they are three points above their arch rivals going into the game and a win will further see them clear of Hearts of Oak.
For Hearts of Oak, a win in Kumasi against their arch rivals may be the much needed tonic to revive their season and reinvigorate their fans for upcoming games.
The match will also mean more than just the three points at stake for the two coaches, as they all battle to win the trust of their ever demanding fans.
Kotoko’s Paa Kwesi Fabian, who replaced Steve Polack at the beginning of the season is yet to win the hearts of many fans of the Porcupine Warriors, while Hearts of Oak’s Henry Wellington has had his reigned questioned by a number of Hearts fans. Whoever wins, certainly will have at least a temporary respite.
Like in previous meetings, form guide won’t be a determine factor as to who win, neither will history guide.
It is a game which is normally too close to call, and the dynamics won’t be different this time around, as both teams battle for the three points and the bragging right.
Hearts of Oak May have recently beaten Kotoko 3:1 on aggregate to lift the Ghana at 60 anniversary trophy, but the pain of losing the FA Cup final 3:1 to Kotoko is still fresh on the minds of the Phobian faithful.
But the question remain, can they exact a revenge on Kotoko in Kumasi? Well, it is a question which can only be answered at the end of the game.
Kick off is at 3:00 p.m.