Thursday, March 4, 2010

KOTOKO FOR DOUBLE HEADER...Aduana Sunday, Linguere next (GRAPHIC SPORTS, LEAD STORY, FEB 19, 2010)

KUMASI Asante Kotoko have sworn to break the unbeaten home run of Aduana Stars, in their crucial premier league match on Sunday, to serve as a harbinger for their expected qualification to the next stage of the CAF Champions league at the expense of ASC Linguere of Senegal next week.
 Club management member, Jarvis Peprah, told the Graphic Sports at the team’s training grounds at Ridge last Wednesday that, “We have a mission to fulfil at Dormaa on Sunday, and in Accra next week, and we are definitely not going to fail in these two matches.”
Training was very hectic as Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin was determined to put the team in shape for the Dormaa match.
Aduana and Kotoko have not been “friends” since the Kofi Abanga transfer saga some three seasons ago and it would be interesting to se how they face each other.
 Jarvis says Kotoko have learnt a lesson from the Dakar defeat and were putting their acts together for better things ahead, and Aduana are not lucky to be meeting them at this stage in the league.
 Kotoko are serving a two-match home ban for crowd violence in an African champions league game at their Kumasi venue two seasons ago.
Consequently, they have decided to honour their return match against ASC Linguere at the Ohene Djan Stadium.
 Jarvis said, “We expect to count on our strong support base in Accra to qualify for the next stage of the competition”.
 “You know Kotoko traditionally play very well in Accra and we hope to live up to tradition when we meet the Senegalese side,” he said.
 Mr Peprah further called on the supporters in Kumasi to travel in the numbers in Accra to cheer the team to victory next week.
 Asante Kotoko lost 0-2 to the Senegalese champions in the first leg but believed they still had the chance to make it to the next stage if they put t heir acts together.
The club had blamed the referee who handled the match for their defeat but they have to admit that in recent times, the team had not exhibited the traditional firepower they are known for.
This means they would have to work extra hard to overpower Linguere in Accra.

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