Weekend’s MTN FA Cup Round of 16 Liberty keyed up for Samatex revenge
The Western Regional town of Samreboi will take centre stage this weekend as Division One side, Samatex FC, host Liberty Professionals in a dicey MTN FA Cup Round of 16 encounter at the Samreboi Park.
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Samatex, who in a David-and-Goliath fashion eliminated current Premier League leaders, Accra Hearts of Oak, from the competition in the Round of 32 at Samreboi, will seek to continue their giant-killing feat against the Scientific Soccer lads on home soil and inch closer to emulating Division One side Nania FC who won the competition at the expense of Asante Kotoko in 2011.
Both management and players of Samatex FC are leaving nothing to chance in their quest to add Liberty to their list of victims in tomorrow’s clash.
Team captain Isaac Kofi Nunoo is expected to marshall his teammates such as Michael Addo, Alfred Nelson, Prosper Afenu, Emmanuel Essuman, Gideon Kumordzie, Clement Abbay, Kweku Aidoo, Michael Anderson and Sulemana Abubakar to cause another big upset.
Liberty Professionals are likely to make the journey without the team’s talisman Latif Blessing, who is away on international assignment, are also drawing lessons from Hearts’ elimination and keyed up for revenge, after they were shown the exit by Samatex at this stage of the competition last year.
Liberty coach George Lamptey will count on Tamimu Montari, Felix Addo, Daniel Kodie, Benjamin Eshun, Richard Antwi, Bernard Arthur, among others, as they eye a place in the next round as they seek to avoid the slippery path that Hearts took a few weeks ago.
The Round of 16 begins this afternoon with West Africa Football Academy (WAFA), who are unbeaten at their Sogakope home grounds, Division Two side Emmanuel FC, while Wa Rockets will settle scores with Asokwa Deportivo at the Wa Stadium.
Tomorrow afternoon, Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Storm Academy clash at the Nkawkaw Park in the Eastern Region, with interim coach, Michael Osei, expected to continue his revival mission with the Porcupine Warriors who eliminated another lower division side, Tumu 24 Hours FC to reach this stage.
In other Round of 16 fixtures on Sunday, Wa All Stars will engage Mighty Royals in a showdown at the Wa Stadium, Elmina Sharks play host to Tema-based True Democracy at the Nduom Stadium at Elmina, Sekondi Hasaacas clash with former Premier League side Okwawu United at Nkawkaw, while Real Tamale United (RTU) host Bechem United in Tamale.