Hearts poised to ditch Djoliba

Resurgent Accra Hearts of Oak will go into tomorrow’s crucial CAF Confederation Cup match against AC Djoliba of Mali very much a wounded side despite having a 2-1 lead from the first leg match and home advantage.

The Phobians will be without four key players, comprising their skipper and Ivorian star, Robin Gnagne, who is out after being sent off in the first leg match in Bamako, and the duo of Owusu Bempah and Seidu Mutawakilu who are both on national assignment with the Black Satellites

Compounding the Rainbow club’s predicament is the absence of defender Isaac Oduro whose accumulated yellow cards makes it impossible for him to feature in this important encounter.

In spite of the difficult situation the Phobians find themselves going into tomorrow’s clash, veteran coach Herbert Addo maintains he has good and reliable replacements to push their quest to qualify for the next round of the competition.

At a press briefing in Accra last Thursday ahead of tomorrow’s encounter, the coach was confident of a decisive victory over the Malians, assuring the club’s followers that his charges would do what was necessary to carry the day.

The Phobians may have one foot in the next stage of the competition, having taken a 2-1 lead, but  the Malians would come fighting in the hope of overturning the deficit and causing an upset in Accra. But  after two draws against Accra Great Olympics and AshantiGold in a matter of four days, the Phobians look a side well tested for tomorrow’s assignment.

Coach Addo’s side have in-depth strength as defender Vincent Atinga is expected to replace the suspended Gnagne while South African Shaun October and Kweku Andoh are possible replacements for Oduro and Bempah respectively.