Accra Hearts of Oak will on this Sunday, 5th May, 2013 rekindle a never-ending rivalry with the sworn-enemy, Kumasi Asante Kotoko in the match-day 24 of the 2012/13 Glo Premier League season.
The magnitude of Hearts-Kotoko encounters cannot be measured or quantified, not even on the Richter scale. It is your normal three league points at stake, but it is an extraordinary game. Hearts have savoured sweet victories over Kotoko in times past and David Duncan's side would be hoping to emulate the successes of the great coaches of old.
Head Coach David Duncan's first game in charge was to see to it that 10-man Hearts came back to the capital with a point. The resilience, commitment and endeavour shown by the players in that away draw was heart-warming for every Phobia fan. David Duncan's side has cast-aside a poor run of form in the first round of the season and has turned over a new leaf with a fresh breath of consistency in the second round of the season. Beaten only once in 13 games since the turn of the year, Hearts have won 9 and drawn 3 in all competitions.
The Phobians have developed a mean streak at the Accra Sports Stadium where they have won seven consecutive games in 2013 scoring 12 goals and only conceding 3. This rich vein of form must be rewarded with a victory over Kotoko on Sunday. The Porcupines are unbeaten in three games at the Accra Sports Stadium against Hearts - winning once and drawing the last 2.
Didi Dramani's side has an average away record in the league. They have won 4, drawn 6, and lost only once away from home in the league. The ex-Black Maidens coach is under a lot of pressure from the legions of fabulous supporters though they sit comfortably at third on the log, and have qualified to the semi-finals of the MTN FA cup.
Sunday's game might not be the only time the two sides meet this season. A final showdown in the FA Cup could be on the cards as the two teams play Medeama SC and Amidaus Professionals respectively.
HEARTS OF OAK
Hearts of Oak are 9th on the Glo Premier League with 32 points from 23 game
Hearts of Oak have won 8, drawn 8 and lost 7 games of their 23 games in the Glo Premier League
Hearts have scored the highest number of goals in the 2012/13 Glo Premier league season - 32 Hearts have conceded the second highest number of goals in the league
Hearts have won 7, drawn once, and lost 3 games from 11 games at home in the league
Mahatma Otoo is the leading scorer in the league with 13 goals
ASANTE KOTOKO
Kotoko are third on the Glo Premier League log with 41 points
Kotoko have won 10, drawn 11 and lost 2 games of their 23 in the league
Kotoko have won 4, drawn 5, and lost once away from home in the league
They have scored the second highest number of goals in the league - 29
They have conceded 18 goals in 23 games in the league.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The two teams have met 97(all-time) times in the Ghana League 1958-2013. Hearts have won 32 times and lost 32 times against Kotoko with 33 games ending in a draw.
From the Professional league era, started in the 1993/94 season, the two sides have met 36 times in the league. Hearts has won 13, drawn 16 and lost 7 times against Kotoko in the league. Hearts have scored 45 goals and conceded 35 in this era.
Source: Accra Hearts of Oak