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The biggest rivalry in Ghana football is back again as Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak face off in this year’s President Cup at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday.
This will be the fourth straight President Cup meeting between Kotoko and Hearts The Porcupine Warriors won the last two meetings on penalties.
They are also the record-holders of the President Cup with five trophies followed by Hearts of Oak who have won it four times since its inception in 2003.
What is the kick-off time of the match?
The match will start at 15:00 GMT (3 pm) prompt
Team news:
Joy Sports can confirm that Sogne Yacouba has joined his teammates in training and is available for selection after missing Kotoko’s BK Edusei cup match against Ashgold due to illness.
Maxwell Baakoh has stepped up his rehabilitation but is currently training alone and is unlikely to play a part in the upcoming fixture.
Felix Annan, Patrick Yeboah, Justice Blay, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Augustine Okrah and Richard Arthur were on duty for the Black Stars B team and have returned with minimum complications.
Kim Grant will be happy to have Fatawu Mohammed, Mohammed Alhassan, Benjamin Agyare, Benjamin Afutu, Manaf Umar and Joseph Esso back in the side without injuries after representing the Black Stars B team in the CHAN 2020 qualifiers.
The current form of both teams:
Kotoko faced AshantiGold in the BK Edusei cup last Sunday and lost 4-3 on penalties after the match ended goalless in normal time.
Kotoko have been in good form competitively, winning three of their past five matches (W3 D1 L1) including a penalty shootout triumph over their upcoming opponents in the NC Special competition semi-finals.
Their convincing 2-0 victory over Kano Pillars in the first round of CAF Champions League qualification proves to be the biggest result in their current run.
For Hearts, they have clinched three victories in their past four friendly matches, conceding four and scoring twice as much.
Their 4-1 thrashing of Patron Sporting Club was the major highlight for the club in the past month.
Hearts of Oak’s loss came at the hands of Black Meteors (1-0).
In their past five competitive fixtures, however, the record stands at three victories and two defeats. Phobia beat Elmina Sharks by three goals to one during that run.
Head to Head record:
The two sides have faced each other on four occasions in this fixture (2005, 2015, 2016 and 2017) and Kotoko has the better record with three wins.
Hearts of Oak’s victory over their bitter rivals came four years prior in a penalty shoot-out.
Match Facts:
The last three President’s cup matches between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak have gone on to penalties. Asante Kotoko have won two of them and Hearts have won one.
Asante Kotoko have scored at least a goal in their last five competitive fixtures (7 goals). Hearts of Oak have also scored at least a goal in four of their last five competitive fixtures (7 goals).
Asante Kotoko have only lost once in their last five competitive matches (W3 D1 L1) whilst the Phobians have lost twice in their last five competitive matches (W3 L2).
Hearts of Oak last won the President’s cup in 2015 and Kotoko last won it in 2017.
