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Representatives from Ghana, Asante Kotoko, will seek to exorcise the ghost of the defeats away from home in the group stage of the club's second-tier continental championship against El Hilal of Sudan in a Group C match at Omdurman.
The Porcupine Warriors will be encouraged by their 3-2 away win against Coton Sport in Yaounde in the previous round, as they try to settle old scores with their Sudanese hosts. Call it familiar opponents while the two sides met at the 2004 edition of the contest by winning one of the victories in their fortress. Hilal defeated Kotoko 2-0 in Omdurman before the Ghanaians responded with a 3-0 win over Kumasi.
It is the year that marked the history of the competition when two Ghanaian clubs, Hearts of Oak and Kotoko, reached the finals of the first edition. The first has annexed the trophy on penalties.
Kotoko was back in the group stage of the competition in the 2008 edition and again met a Sudanese opposition – El-Merreikh – but still lost 2-1 to Omdurman.
In 2019, Kotoko will face old enemies, Hilal, hoping to rewrite history books this time around.
According to head coach Charles Akonnor, his team is under no pressure and is eager to leave.
"We have done our best against the two previous opponents, Kariobangi Sharks and Coton Sport, and we can only improve. Indeed, at the beginning of the competition, many doubted our abilities, but we are here to rewrite history.
"Whatever we can do, we will do our best. For now, we plan to do it match by match and continue to improve.
"We respect our opponents and this is not the first time the two teams meet, we have a story in common. The players showed that they were ready to make a name for themselves and if we want to get to the quarterfinals we also have to win some away games, and that is what we are looking at.
Hilal is among Ghanaian striker Rahim Osumanu, who is no stranger to the Ghanaian game and who could be the trump card of the Sudanese in the hope of winning their first important points of the group stage at home.
Zambian duo Zesco and Nkana will face each other in Group C at Ndola, also on Sunday.
Credit: Cafonline.com
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