Preview: Kotoko to lock horns with Medeama in FA Cup final

All roads lead to the Essipong Sports Stadium on Sunday for the epic 2015 MTN FA Cup final between the champions Asante Kotoko and 2013 winners of the competition Medeama SC.

The competition which began with 95 clubs has been narrowed down to two clubs who will battle for supremacy on who secure Ghana's single slot to participate in the CAF Confederation Cup in the year 2016.

The 2015 FA Cup is historic for being the first final to be staged outside the Ghanaian capital city of Accra, after the FA Cup Committee settled on sekondi due to the amendment of the rules governing the competition to give the committee the mandate to choose any venue of their choice instead of the traditional venue (Accra) for the final.

Team news and current form
Kumasi Asante Kotoko
The champions of the FA Cup, have been impressive in the latter part of the ongoing season, having gone 5 matches unbeaten, winning 4 and drawing 1 to leapfrog from 11 position to 3 on the league ladder.

Coach David Duncan has admitted that Medeama would give his side a run for their money, but believes they will go the extra mile to emerge victors.

Kotoko left Kumasi to the twin city of Sekondi-Tarkoradi on Friday afternoon ahead of the final on Sunday.

The return of Michael Akuffu from Lebanon, after his short loan spell, will give David Duncan the headache of his choice of central midfield for the final. Kwadwo who replaced Akuffu to partner Jackson Owusu executed the task perfectly, so the question is will the coach make a change there or continue with the winning pair.

Richard Mpong who was once a delight to watch on the domestic scene, but declined in performance and was relegated to the bench, exhibited what he is made of by rescuing Kotoko with a brace when he come on at a point the game was heading to a 2 all draw against B.A United.

Kotoko's attacking line is very deadly, comprising Ahmed Toure who is the club's leading top scorer in the league with 11 goals, Dauda Mohammed, the 17-year old sensational chap, who has been their best attacker for the club in the second round and Obed Owusu, who has regained his old form, after coming under severe criticisms from the fans.

Although the last season FA Cup best player, Abeiku Ainooson has been out of form, due to injuries and the coach's decision to rotate him with other defenders, Ahmed Adams, who was voted Kotoko's best player of the month of July in the maiden award will give the central defence the sort of stability it deserves.

The skipper of Kotoko Amos Frimpong is one of the most improved players in the team and is sometimes a source of goal. He scored for the Porcuupine Warriors in their last competitive game, which was a 4-2 win over B.A United.

Medeama SC
The firepower of the Yellow and Mauves side has gone down heading to the tail end of the season. They have won just 1 of their last 5 games in all competitions (L2, D2), but the FA Cup which doesn't follow much logic has in several instances gone the way of the underdogs. For instance only one favourites have won the competition, since it returned after barely a decade break: Nania defeated Kotoko in 2011, New Edubiase piped Ashgold in 2012 and Medeama edged Kotoko in 2013, before Kotoko became the first favourites within this period to annex the trophy in 2014 beating Inter Allies.

Tarkwa the home base of Medeama is closer to Essipong, the venue for the final, so they will make a shorter journey as compared to their opponent, Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

Akwasi Donsu has been the best player for Medeama in the FA Cup and even scored twice in their difficult quarter finals game against sensational WAFA at the T and A park.

The leading top scorer for Medeama SC is Nathaniel Ohene Asamoah and is at the same time the leading scorer in the Ghana premier League with 18 goals to his credit, but might probably play his last game for his side, after completing his move to Raja Casablanca of Morocco this week.

The ginger-haired Hans Couffie, Malik Akowuah and Akwasi Donsu will stage a midfield battle with the equally good Kotoko midfielders.

Muntari Tagoe, the shot-stopper for Medeama, who is the skipper of the side threw a challenge to Amos Frimpong that the best they will come close at scoring is for their ball to hit the goal post, while the Kotok skipper assured Tagoe that he will score against him in the final.

Asante Kotoko's road to the final
Kotoko's path to the final game against Medeama sc began with relatively easy competition as they walloped Paga Crocodile 4-0 in the Round of 64, before they defeated Birim DC United 5-2 in the Round of 32. Their next game however proved to be a fierce match against RTU as they escaped with only a 1-0 win in the late minute to set a date with their regional rivals, Ashgold in the quarter finals. Kotoko entered into the game as underdogs, because their performance prior to that game was nothing to write home about and they had also lost all their last four engagements against the Miners, but David Duncan's charges played their hearts out and succeeded to edge Ashgold 2-0. Kotoko in the semis faced another tough customer in Aduana Stars, but they put the Dormaa lads to sleep by thrashing them 3-1 to cruise to the final.

 
 
Medeama's road to the final
Medeama's journey to the final began with a lower division side Kade United by beating them by a slim margin of 2-1 in the round of 64, before they survived the scare of Gold Stars in a game which ended goalless draw, but the Tarkwa based club won 3-0 on penalties in the round of 32 and again defeated another lower division side Gt. Astronomers 5-4 in penalty kicks, after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time in the quarter finals. Medeama made a giant step into the semifinals by stopping impressive West African Football Academy (WAFA) with a 3-1 victory. Medeama added Hearts of Oak to their victims by edging the Phobians 2-1 to set a date with Kotoko in the final of the competition which started with 95 clubs.

Head to head
Kotoko have engaged Medeama in 18 games in all competitions: The Porcupine Warriors have won 10, lost 3 and drawn 5 against Medeama.

However, they have met just once in the FA Cup and that was 2013 final which went in favour of Medeama, courtesy Theophilus Anoobaah's lone goal, so will Kotoko avenge that defeat or Medeama will repeat it.

These sides have played against each other once at the Essipong Sports Stadium. Kotoko won that fixture which was a home league game for Medeama in 2012 by a goal to nil.

Publicity
Publicity has been high, following the formation of a Local Organising Committee (LOC) and their decision to embark on a trophy tour in three major cities that will be involved in the final namely Sekondi, Kumasi and Tarkwa to whip-up enthusiasm for the final. In addition the final will be beamed live on Super Sports.

Prize money
The monetary commitment of the sponsor MTN is  also encouraging because the winner will take home GHC 40,000, while the runners up will pocket GHC 15,00 and in addition GHC 50,000 will be made available for the club that represent Ghana in the CAF Confederations Cup on the ticket of the FA Cup.