Coach Afranie plots Hearts fall

Accra, April 5, GNA - Emmanuel Akwasi Afranie, head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko is plotting the fall of their sworn rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak ahead of their titanic Top Four clash on Sunday. Kotoko would trek to the El-Wak Sports stadium in Accra in search of all the points to stay in contention and the coach believes their work is well cut out for them in the battle dubbed as the biggest of the year.

He told the GNA Sports that "we really need Sunday's points to keep our dreams alive and plan to go all out in its search". Coach Afranie was buoyant that the team would ride high on their amazing team spirit which he said ensured they rallying from behind to defeat Ferreviaro Maputo of Mozambique 2-1 in a Champions League preliminary duel last Sunday.

"The boys exhibited a great spirit last Sunday and I believe in the same vain they would fight for everything against Hearts". He reckons that playing against the Phobians rarely follow any form pattern but insists "for us, beating Hearts is not impossible. "We badly need the points and the boys understand what is at stake".

Kotoko occupies the last spot of the four-team table with a single point and come into the Sunday game requiring all points against the Phobians who top the summit with four points. The duel is the first for the duo this year and Sunday would as usual enact the anticipated rivalry.

Coach Afranie told the GNA Sports it would be needless for anyone to rule the "Porcupine Warriors" out of contention with only two games played and four to go.

"Whoever says the chase is over for Kotoko will need to reconsider their thoughts. We have two games at home and believe getting respectable points away and plucking all six points at home could still put us in the race".

Like Kotoko, Hearts and King Faisal are all previous winners of the competition regarded as the biggest on the local front. Kotoko draw one all with Faisal in the tourney's opener and lost 2-3 to debutants, Berekum Arsenals.