Medeama ready for OM Bejaia

Medeama Sporting Club returned home from DR Congo on Tuesday with a mission to vent their spleen on Algeria’s Olympique Mouloudia (OM) Bejaia in their second group match at the Sekondi Stadium next Wednesday.

Medeama suffered a 1-3 defeat to African Super champions, TP Mazembe, in Lubumbashi last Sunday, but club President Moses Armah believes his side have what it takes to secure a vital home win against OM Bejaia to keep their title dream on course.

“We will beat OM Bejaia at home and go on to win all our home matches to qualify for the semi-finals,” Mr Armah assured supporters shortly after the team’s arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). 

Medeama shocked the Congolese giants with an early lead through Malik Akowuah but ended up the vanquished side. The club’s bankrollers nevertheless, was still impressed with the performance of his players, considering the level of opposition.

“I think the boys did well against the star-studded TP Mazembe side which parades some of the best players in Africa,” he noted. 

He revealed that one of the club’s trusted defenders, Daniel Amoah, who missed last Sunday’s match through accumulated yellow cards, would be back to strengthen the defence against the Algerians.

However, Mr Armah, fondly called Mospacka, could not hide his frustration after spending $70,000 on airfare, hotel accommodation and other expenses to make the trip to DR Congo possible without any external support.

Obviously over-burdened by the huge expenditure involved in playing in Africa without any remittance from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) yet, the Medeama boss made a passionate appeal to the government and corporate institutions to come to their aid at this crucial stage of the competition.

Aside from the financial crisis, Medeama are also racing against time to meet some CAF requirements at their favourite Sekondi Stadium before the match.

CAF is demanding the restoration of electricity and internet access at the stadium which have been out of order for sometime now, as well as upgrading the two technical benches among others.