Ghanaian champions AshantiGold are promising a fitting Valentine’s Day present for their supporters with a sweet home win against Algerian side, Mouloudia Olympique de Bejaia, in the first leg preliminary round of the CAF Champions League at the Len Clay Stadium on Sunday.
The once vibrant mining town has literally gone dead following the shutdown of the old Anglogold Ashanti mines but the management of the club is hoping to use Sunday’s match to rekindle the joy in the people with a good win against the Algerians.
The Ashgold players themselves are aware of the expectations of the people and are motivated to rise to the occasion as the team makes a return to continental competition after five years in the wilderness.
But Coach Bashir Hayford is cautiously optimistic and would not make any firm promise although hoping for a win to serve as a present for St Valentine’s Day.
Both players and the technical team have had the opportunity of watching the video clips of the team and appeared worried over the heights of their opponents.
Subsequently, coach Bashir has been strategising how to contain the Algerians who prefer to play lofty balls and operate from the wings.
In spite of the challenge, the coach said the necessary plans had been put in place to halt the surging runs of their opponents while hoping that his attacking force would get their acts right to take their chances.
The Algerians, who are currently third on the algerian league log, are due to arrive in Ghana today.
It is the expectation of the home side that Burkinabe referee Jean Ouattara and his two assistants, Max Philippo Toe and Drissa Modeste Sessouma will be fair and officiate according to the rules of the game.
The CEO of Ashgold, Kudjoe Fianoo, said the necessary measures had been put in place to make the visitors feel at home while making sure that the home fans were treated to good football.