Clottey Power!
After just one match at the league stage of the CAF Champions League, Berekum Chelsea’s hitman, Emmanuel Clottey, has declared the Golden Boot award is his for the taking.
The striker scored the first hattrick in the opening round of the matches to aid his side to beat five-time champions, Zamalek, 3-2 in a Group D clash at the Accra Stadium Saturday.
It was Clottey’s second hat trick in any competition after a similar feat at the elimination stage.
The Chelsea player takes his goal tally to nine, having scored six at the elimination stage.
He told graphic.com.gh that beyond the goalking ambition, Chelsea would also go very far in the competition.
The Berekum team had to come from behind on two occasions to win the match on the stroke of full time.
Burkinabe international, Abdoulaye Cisse, scored both goals for the Egyptian side but Clottey, who had a fine afternoon, made sure victory was secured for his side.
Cissé netted in 21st minute before Clottey drew level in the 29th. Cisse restored Zamalek lead on the 34th minute but Clottey’s 46th and 90th minutes goals were enough to secure the day for the Ghanaian debutants.
Chelsea should have scored more but Clottey was unlucky as two of his goal-bound shots went off the bar.
The first was during the opening minutes of the game when after racing through the Egyptian defence, hit the cross bar and later hit the upright from a freekick.
Chelsea’s next opponents are another former champions, TP Mazembe,of DR Congo in Lubumbashi on July 21.
Meanwhile, Coach, Hans van der Pluym, says the team needs to work a lot harder to reach far.
The Dutch trainer, rather than jubilate, is cautioning his players to step up the gear for tougher times ahead.
Chelsea could become the third Ghanaian side after Kumasi Asante Kotoko (1971 and 1983) and Accra Hearts of Oak ( 2000) to lift the continent’s trophy if they maintain their focus.
Coach van der Pluym is anticipating tougher games but warned that any team that underrates Chelsea does so at their own risk.