Defending champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, will battle rivals, Heart of Lions, in a Glo Top 4 thriller at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi this evening without three key players.

Strikers Eric Bekoe and Kojo Poku, as well as influential Samuel Inkoom will be missing from the Kotoko line-up in today's game following their call-up into the Black Stars squad for Friday's World Cup/Africa Cup qualifier against Libya in Tripoli.

However, Kotoko cannot afford to falter without these players after tasting their first defeat in the competition at the hands of Liberty Professionals in Accra a week ago.

At least the Porcupine Warriors have territorial advantage and recent victories over their opponents to draw inspiration from in today's encounter scheduled to kick off at 5p.m.

Kotoko beat stubborn Lions back-to-back (3-2 and 1-0) in the league and topped it up with a penalty win in the President's Cup match after a 2-2 drawn game.

With the Lions team depleted following a mass transfer of their key players, Kotoko start as favourites with Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Stephen Oduro, Daniel Nii Adjei and others featuring prominently in their line-up.

Before that leaders Liberty Professionals will hope to cement their lead when they play Berekum Arsenal at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra.

  Source: Daily Graphic - Daily Graphic