Kotoko ready for Hearts test in Kumasi
Asante Kotoko will face Hearts of Oak on Sunday at the Baba Yara Stadium in the Ghana Premier League match day 13 encounter.
The Porcupine Warriors have won one game and lost four in their last five fixtures with Hearts winning three, drawing one and losing one in their last five matches.
—Hearts
The Porcupines have five wins, three draws, four losses, 10 goals scored, nine conceded and in seventh place on the league table with 18th points.
The Phobians sit sixth place with 19 points after winning five games, drawing four and losing three with nine goals scored and six conceded.
For Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum, it will be his 81st league game as Asante Kotoko head coach since the 2021/22 season. Ogum has 38 wins, 20 draws and 22 losses and scored 93 goals and conceded 58 in the Premier League.
His rival coach, Aboubakar Ouattara, took over Hearts in the 2023/24 second round and has now played 29 games out of which he won nine, drawn seven and lost 10.
In the process, he has 31 goals to his credit and 25 conceded.
Gladly for Kotoko fans, Coach Ogum is yet to lose to Hearts, having picked three wins and a draw in their four meetings.
In his first season with Asante Kotoko in the 2021/22 season, his side won one and drew the other against the Phobians and recorded two consecutive victories in both legs in the 2023/24 season.
Sunday’s clash will be the 115th fixture involving them since 1958. Kotoko have 38 wins with the Phobians also holding the same number of wins with 38 ending in a draw.
Asante Kotoko have most goals scored against Hearts of Oak with 132 and the Phobians with 121 goals.
Albert Amoah is Asante Kotoko top scorer in the league with six goals in 11 games and the second best in terms of goals in the league after match day 12.
The Porcupines will also rely on shot stopper, Mohamed Camara., who kept a clean sheet in their last league game against Aduana FC.
Players like Justice Blay, Andrews Ntim Manu, Patrick Asiedu, Lord Amoah and Samba Oniel are available for the game.
For the Phobians, Hamza Issah is their top scorer in the league with three goals in 12 matches.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare has kept seven clean sheets in 12 league matches for Hearts with a record of two consecutive clean sheets against Asante Kotoko, stretching to his days at Great Olympics.
Others like Salim Adams, Kelvin Osei Asibey, Samuel Amofa and Mawuli Wayo are all available for the game on Sunday.
