Medeama take on Al Shendi Sun
Medeama Sporting Club are capitalising on the presence of former Black Stars coach, Kwasi Appiah and his assistant Prince Owusu in The Sudan to ensure an impressive away outing against Al Ahly Shendi in their Orange CAF Confederation Cup one-eighth first leg encounter at the Shandi Stadium at 17.00 GMT on Sunday.
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The two Ghanaian coaches, currently handling Sudanese side, FC Khartoum, are expected to furnish Medeama with some vital information about their opponents to arm them ahead of Sunday’s tie, which the MTN FA Cup champions are bent on winning.
Sources indicate that coaches Appiah and Owusu, who incidentally was in charge of Medeama just before joining his senior colleague in The Sudan two years ago, were due to boost Medeama’s morale in camp last Thursday .
That visit would surely be a blessing in disguise for Coach Tom Strand who might need a fair idea about the little known Sudanese side which barely scraped through to this stage on technical grounds.
Al Ahly Shendi reached this stage on the strength of the away goals rule after beating Saint Eloi Lupopo of Congo 1-0 in the return leg, following a 1-2 first leg defeat.
Medeama, on their part, had a better qualifying record after cancelling Al Ittihad of Libya’s 1-0 win in Sfax, Tunisia, with a 2-0 home win in the return leg at Essipon.
Come Sunday, Coach Strand will unleash the same demolition squad on their hosts, with Malik Akowuah, who is in a form of his life, leading the assault, with support from fellow midfield workaholics Kwasi Donsu and Kwame Boahene, while Abass Mohammed and Benjamin Bature lead the attack as usual.
Unlike 2014 when the Ghanaians missed the group stage narrowly in their debut, the prospects look brighter this time round as they appear determined to snatch at least a draw in this game and book qualification at Essipon on April 20.
Ugandan referee, Denis Batte will handle the match, with assistance from compatriots Ssonko and Lee Okello.