Accra Hearts of Oak have replied Kumasi Asante Kotoko with equal force, promising to throw Oseikrom into a ‘state of mourning’ in Sunday’s Premier League super clash at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Kotoko skipper, Amos Frimpong, fired the first salvo last Wednesday by warning the Phobians to prepare for a battle of their lives since they were fully prepared for a win, having recovered from the trauma of their recent misfortune.
In a quick rebuttall however, some infuriated Hearts players called the bluff of the Kotoko skipper, pledging to show Kotoko no mercy at their own backyard on Sunday.
Hearts’ stalwart defender, Vincent Atinga, confidently declared in an interview with the Graphic Sports yesterday, that he and his colleagues were determined to complete the double over Kotoko after beating them 1-0 in the first round in Accra.
“We’re determined to win and once they are ready to play we will go all out to beat them,” Atinga boasted.
Striker Kwame Kizito, also waxing lyrical, condemned the Porcupine Warriors to the gallows with an emphatic prediction of a Phobian victory on Sunday.
“All eyes are on us to win the ultimate so we can’t take chances.
“We are training hard and praying that God will favour us against our opponents. Definitely victory will be ours,” Kizito assured.
That sums up the mood in the two camps as Hearts chase their third victory over their rivals, who are also seeking to take their pound of flesh with a second win of the season to pull even.
Kotoko, under the supervision of their limping coach, Steve Polack, who watched the players from the stands, underlined their battle-readiness with an emphatic 4-1 victory over division two Nat Coster FC at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Interestingly, Kotoko’s Amos Frimpong, Mohammed Awal, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Saddick Adams and Felix Annan, had the opportunity to size themselves up against Hearts’ trio of Thomas Abbey, Winful Cobbinah, Patrick Razak in the Black Stars B camp in Prampram ahead of this all-important 23rd week outstanding fixture, setting the stage for another thriller.
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