Nania, Oly in FA Cup Duel

The Nania Park at Legon in Accra will see fireworks this afternoon as reigning MTN FA Cup lords, Nania FC, open their title defence at home against no mean a side than Accra Great Olympics in a promising thriller.

Nania, owned and coached by local soccer legend, Abedi Ayew Pele, entered the history books on July 24 when they emerged as the first ever Division One club to win the FA Cup in the tournament’s history following a lone goal victory over giants, Asante Kotoko, at the Accra Stadium.

Since then, Nania have attained an elite status, especially after booking a CAF Confederation Cup ticket and going ahead to beat Premier League champions, Berekum Chelsea, 4-3 on penalties in a Super Cup match also in Accra a couple of months ago.

All that, coupled with keeping their squad intact, makes Nania favourites in this afternoon’s encounter against a sleeping giant like Olympics which is trying hard to wake up from their slumber. In terms of pedigree, Olympics are quite ahead of their fellow Division One opponents, having won the FA Cup thrice in 1975, 1983 and 1995.

That is why Nania have a difficult assignment on hand even with all their tested players, including skipper Lawrence Lartey, playmaker Prince Baffoe, Evans Omani, Abdul Aziz Abankwah, and agile goalkeeper Michael Sai, on duty. But as they prepare for their opening Confederation Cup game against FC Sequence of Guinea in Accra on February 19, trust Abedi Pele’s boys to fight for a win to motivate themselves for the challenges ahead.

At the Winneba Sports College, Windy Professionals face a tough home assignment against Tarkwa United, while Eleven Wise and Metro FC square off in a tight local derby at the Sekondi Gyandu Park.

In the other games, Fairpoint FC play host to Soccer Legends at the Kpone Town Park, Real International host Bazooka FC at the Wa Stadium, Toende FC meet Unity FC at the Bolga Stadium, Dormaa Kyenkyenkye clash with Wamfie Asuom at the Agyeman Badu II Stadium at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Juventus versus RTU at Yeji, Hilla Stars versus B.A. United at the Tumu Stadium, B.A. Stars versus Bongo FC at Nsoatre Presby Park, Deportivo versus Mighty Youngsters at the Baba Yara Stadium, D’International versus Pure Joy at the Tema Stadium, Rehoboth FC versus YF Juventus at the Fire Service Academy Park, and K. Dom FC versus Unistar Academy at Cape Coast.