Accra (Greater Accra) 05 March 2002 - The Ghana Football Association on Monday apologised to Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, their supporters and the general public for the eleventh-hour cancellation of Sunday's Champion of Champions match.
A statement signed by Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary, said the match was cancelled on advice of the National Security Council. "In fact, all the necessary arrangements were made to ensure a successful match, which was our prime duty to Ghanaians. However, the National Security Council decided that the match be postponed."
"The issue of security transcends all other considerations and every effort would be made so that we have incident-free football matches. "We share with you your emotions and passions associated with the game of football, pray that you will all put the disappointment of March 3, 2002 behind you, and unite for football to be the winner." The statement said a new date and venue would be announced later.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 March 2002 - The race for continental honours in African football swings back into full battle this weekend with Ghana’s Hearts of oak, Asante Kotoko and Obuasi Goldfields staking the nation’s claim in the three CAF-organised competitions.
Under rather inexplicable but perhaps coincidental circumstances, the nation’s three representatives open their respective campaigns with matches at home in their first leg encounters against three countries on the Western hemisphere of Africa. League holders and Champions League campaigners, Hearts of oak welcome Mali’s Stade Malien to the Accra Stadium while Asante Kotoko play Athletico Sonangol of Angola at the Kumasi Stadium in the Cup Winners Cup competition with Goldfields sorting things out with Cote d’Ivoire’s Satellite at the Len Clay Stadium at Obuasi in the CAF Cup championship.
For Kotoko, the occasion offers the opportunity to re-launch their continental crusade after a long spell of absence from the premier competitions. Kotoko last played in a CAF-organised competition way back in 1999. Hearts and Goldfields, however, enter their separate matches with last year’s disappointment very much fresh on the minds.
While Hearts, then defending champions in the Champions League, were booted out at the preliminary level, albeit under bizarre circumstances, Goldfields could only manage a quarterfinal berth in the CAF Cup championship. These are but only the few occasions that Ghanaian club sides have suffered such dishonour in continental contests in recent times.
Under their sojourn in the continental wilderness, Kotoko remained the trailblazers of Ghanaian soccer, having conquered Africa twice in addition to some breathtaking performances in other championships. Goldfields, then virtually new on the terrain, braved the odds and almost caused a major surprise when they battled Morocco’s Raja Casablanca to the wire in a cliff-hanger final of the maiden Champions League in 1997.
For Hearts, their 89 years wait for the ultimate prize in continental club football proved never in vain as they subdued all who crossed their path on their way to their maiden continental glory in 2000 and subsequently the Super Cup. As they resume the continental battles on Sunday, Ghanaians will be looking forward to the substance that propelled their idol club to the height of continental competition on those separate occasions.
All three clubs appear to be in shape despite the absence of serious competition on the local scene. The GHALCA Top Four tournament has served as a useful exercise for Hearts and Goldfields, engaging their energies before Africa came around. And although Kotoko withdrew from that contest, they have warmed themselves with a number of friendlies, which have proven important to their preparations.
Hearts, however, go into Sunday’s match minus the main architect of the recent glorious moments and the reigning Africa best coach, Jones Attuquayefio, who is reported to be on a sabbatical somewhere in London. With affairs now in the broad palms of his deputy, Offei Ansah, Phobian faithfuls will be watching closely how he fares without goal mongers Ishmael Addo and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, two of the stars who brought fame to themselves and the club in the 2000 Champions League. He still has the ever-skilful Charles Taylor, goalkeeping supreme, Sammy Adjei, and additions like Laryea Kingston and Awuley Quaye Jnr to rely on for the crucifixion act.
The technical bearing of Goldfields might have changed with the arrival of former Black Stars deputy coach, Oti Akenteng, to the miners’ camp. The magical touch is what is left to be seen and fans cannot postpone this occasion to a period beyond Sunday. But while they have managed to maintain the mass of their line-up that featured in last year’s league, priceless possessions like Princeton Owusu Ansah and Nana Arhin Duah have received quotations on the transfer market, threatening their potency to an enormous degree, although the presence of Yaw Owusu, Aminu Musah and other evokes some hope.
Apart from the administrative shake-up that culminated in the appointment of Herbert Mensah as the new Chief Executive, nothing changed within the ranks of Kotoko, a significant departure from the past. Having kept virtually the same team from trainer to player, majority of Kotoko’s men, notably Michael Osei, Nana Frimpong and Joe Hendricks will be making their first appearance on the continental stage with a simple ambition of causing the biggest stir they pose. Nothing more than convincing victories in Sunday’s pitch battles will be appropriate to render the return legs mere official procedure. – Graphic Sports.
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