Tough battle awaits Kotoko in Algeria

Even before he takes charge as manager of struggling Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Coach David Duncan is expected to watch from the stands as the Porcupine Warriors take on Mouloudia Club d'El Eulma of Algeria in the CAF Champions League tomorrow.

In the coming days he is expected to be the one with the magic wand to help reverse the fortunes of a Porcupine Warriors side whose confidence and form had dipped in the local league and are languishing in the relegation zone.

Duncan’s presence in the stands should be a major morale booster for the Kumasi-based side who are the country’s sole representatives in the competition.

At this level, Kotoko have vast experience having won it twice (1970, 1983) and emerged five times as runners-up but the dominance of the North African teams lately must be major source of concern for the Ghanaians given the rise of algerian football.

But the Algerians, just like Kotoko, have not been impressive in their local league and development that could be welcome news for the Porcupine Warriors as they try to draw lessons from their botched campaign last season.

While Mouloudia are lying 11th on their 16-club league table, Kotoko are in 14th place in the Ghanaian Premier League, making Sunday’s encounter a battle of equals which the Algerians hope to ride on their home advantage and also their national team’s defeat to the Black Stars during the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Kotoko must also seize the chance to prove their might as one of the heavy weights of continental football and to relive their glorious days.

Stand-in coach, Michael Osei, will look up to players such as Jordan Opoku, Abeiku Ainooson, Ohene Brenya, Christopher Boney, Michael Akuffo, Emmanuel Asante and  Richard Mpong to give the team a good start in the competition after enjoying two walkovers to reach this stage.

The Algerians are expected to field a strong side comprising their Malian import, Yahia Coulibaly, Ismail Bentayeb, Ibrahim Chenihi, Ahmed Kara, Abdelmalek Abbes and Younes Kadri to call off the bluff of Kotoko.