Kotoko will approach Sunday's match with caution - Schmidt

Kumasi, Jan. 6, GNA - Hans Dieter Schmidt, head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Sporting club says his team will approach Sunday's match against Accra Hearts of Oak in the finals of the Confederations Cup with caution in spite of the technical advantage they have from the result of the first leg match.

"I have told my players not to be complacent about the result we recorded in Accra since the game was will wide open".

Speaking to GNA Sports at the Kumasi Sports Stadium on Thursday after the morning's training session, coach Schmidt said, "We will strive to go all out and win handsomely even though a goalless draw will see us through".

He said in order to come out with a clean sheet on Sunday, the technical bench was seriously working on the concentration of the players to enable them to be vigilant and alert throughout the match.

Coach Schmidt commended the players, management and board of the club for their dedication to Kotoko's crusade to annex the CAF Confederation Cup and said this dream will be achieved on Sunday with the support of everybody.

On plans for the team's participation in the CAF Champions League, he indicated that he was grooming some young players in the Kotoko Under-20 side to beef up the first team to make it solid for the task ahead.

"We might lose one or two key players after Sunday's match and as such there is the need to put in place a pragmatic youth policy to ensure the proper graduation of young players into the senior side".

Petit Stephen Oduro, popularly called "Wind ooh, Wind ooh", said it was sheer luck that enabled Hearts to draw in the Accra match as everything pointed to a Kotoko win.

"Hearts should therefore prepare for a real battle in Kumasi on Sunday and therefore called on the teeming supporters of the team to throng the stadium to cheer Kotoko to glory".