Clottey Misses Target

Emmanuel Clottey - Falls short of his 18-goal target

It has now been confirmed that the leading scorer in the CAF Champions League, Emmanuel Clottey, will not be available for the final Group B match between Berekum Chelsea and former champions, TP Mazembe, in Accra on Sunday.

Subsequently, his chances of equalling or breaking Stephen Worgu’s 13 goals record in the competition have been botched.

Clottey trails the former Enyimba player by just a goal and was hoping to score against TP Mazembe to cut a slice of history.

The Chelsea striker signed a record $1.5 million transfer deal with Tunisia champions, Esperance, last Wednesday, making him the property of the North African side.

Chelsea’s CEO, Nana Kwame Nketia, told the Graphic Sports Thursday on phone that the player was no longer the property of the Berekum side but Esperance, “and there is no point bringing him down.”

Clottey became Ghana’s second highest local transfer player after Prince Tagoe’s $1million transfer from Maamobi Midtjilland to a Saudi Arabia club in 2006.

The hitman’s absence notwithstanding, the Chelsea boss said the Ghanaian champions were fired up to end the competition on a good note. Sunday’s results will not affect either side since TP Mazembe have already booked a place in the semi-final.

Chelsea’s ambition was cut short after drawing 1-1 with bottom club, Zamalek, in Cairo a fortnight ago, quashing their chances of picking a ticket to the last four. But they will want to prove a point against the central African giants who landed in the country last Wednesday in a private jet.

“We are here to prove that the first leg 2-2 drawn game in Lubumbashi was a mistake. We have already qualified but we need to end the group stage on a good note.

“Chelsea is a young team and they have good players who will do better next year. However, we need to win on Sunday no matter the odds,” an official told the media on arrival.

But the International Relations Manager of Chelsea, Joe Addo, said the match was about pride and image and Chelsea would live up to the billing despite the absence of Clottey.

In the absence of Clottey, the former Black Stars defender (Joe Addo) said Bismark Idan, with support from Solomon Asante, Gladson Awaku, Captain Abdul Basit and the like would surmount the challenge and give the home fans something to cheer about.

The Ghanaian debutantes started the competition on a good note, defeating former champions, ZamaleK 3-2 at home but fumbling badly 1-4 against Nadi Al Alhy in Cairo and drawing against Zamalek away at a time when they needed a win badly.

Chelsea would have become Ghana’s third club to reach the last four of the Champions League after 1997 finalist, Goldfields, and 2000 champions, Accra Hearts of Oak.