CAF Confederation Cup: Preview – Hearts of Oak vs AS Real Bamako – Enjoy your most comprehensive preview with statistics and prediction as Phobians hope for a miracle in Accra

Ghanaian giants Hearts of Oak are confident of overturning the 3-0 deficit from their first-leg CAF Confederation Cup second round clash with Malian opposition AS Real Bamako.

Just like the Phobians, the 6-time Malian champions are making their 4th appearance in the competition whose inaugural edition had two Ghanaian titans – Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak playing in the grand finale in Accra and Kumasi.

The Scorpions hold the aces going into the fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium with their tails up having stung the Phobians three unanswered times in the first-leg clash at the 35,000-capacity Stade Modibo Keïta Bamako, last weekend.

Match Information

Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT

Venue: Accra Sports Stadium

TV Channel: GTV Sports+

Recommended Radio commentaries: Asempa FM 94.7MHz & Peace FM 104.3 MHz

The defeat sparked anger and furor among the Phobians’ fraternity with most point accusing fingers at the current leadership of the 21-time Ghanaian champions.

Though huge clouds of doubt hangs around the ability of the 2000 CAF Champions League winners to overturn the scoreline, stop-gap coach David Ocloo has been talking and assuring fans of his side’s battle-readiness to pleasantly surprise the following of the club.

TEAM NEWS

“With our fans behind us, I don’t think they can contain us. We are working on that today’s match is proof of what we have been doing for some time now. You can see the defence was solid they were confident possessing, starting the attack and everything very well. I don’t think we have any injuries at the moment Salifu is a brilliant player so he will get involved,” Hearts coach Ocloo told Peace FM.

Subsequently, the former Asante Kotoko assistant trainer has dropped goalkeeper Eric Ofori Antwi and Central African Republic forward Yassan Ouatching for the highly-intense game on Sunday as he named his 20-man squad for the game.

Afriyie Barnieh, Salifu Mohammed, Konadu Yiadom, Dennis Korsah, Seidu Suraj, Kwadwo Obeng Jr., Gideon Asante, Samuel Inkoom, Gladson Awako, Robert Addo Sowah, Richard Attah, Richmond Ayi, Fatawu Mohammed, Rashid Okine, Caleb Amankwaah, Mohammed Alhassan, Kaaba Junior, Enock Asubonteng, Prince Nana Kwesi Darmang, Isaac Mensah.

Meanwhile, Malamine Toure, the Sporting Director for AS Real Bamako, arrived in the Ghanaian capital on Tuesday morning ahead of his side’s landing in Accra on Thursday – 3 clear days before the grand kick-off.

Head coach Nouhoum Diane has insisted his team will treat the reverse fixture on Sunday as a final game as they seek to secure a spot in the play-off stage.

“The return leg should be treated as a final that will be played in any venue CAF will confirm. We don’t know how things will go in Ghana but the objective is to qualify. It’s a good team they have quality players. They played well but we won. I am convinced that the supporters will be there we need their support too,” The 57-year-old Malian told Ghanasportspage.com.

Nouhoum is a coach who favours the 4-2-3-1 system however, taking into consideration the nature of the tie, he might shift to a more defensive approach to his tactics.

STATISTICS

• Hearts of Oak are winless in their last 9 competitive fixtures, dating back to last season – May 30, 2022 – the Phobians defeated Bibiani Gold Stars 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium on 18th May, 2022. Since then Hearts have not won a game.
• In those 9 winless games, Hearts have conceded 17 goals and scored a lowly 5.
• Hearts concede 1.89 goals and score 0.56 goals per game.
• This is just the second time Hearts are playing at this stage of the competition – 2015 (Djoliba AC 2-2 Hearts of Oak) – First-leg – Djoliba 1-2 Hearts of Oak – Second-leg – Hearts of Oak 0-1 Djoliba. 2022 – First-leg – AS Real Bamako 3-0 Hearts of Oak.
• This is the 4th time Hearts are playing in the competition (2004), (2015), (2021/22), (2022/23).
• Equally, this is also the fourth time AS Real Bamako are playing in the competition after 20 editions (2011), (2012), (2014), (2022/23).
• Hearts have won the competition once (2004) while Real Bamako’s best ever performance came in 2014 (Group Stage).
• The Phobians have so far played 19 games in the competition (W10 D 4 L5).
• In 19 games so far the Phobians have scored 24 goals and conceded 22.
• At this stage of the competition (Second Round) Hearts have scored 2 goals and conceded 5.
• This is the 4th game Hearts will be playing at this stage of the competition.
• Real Bamako have played 14 games in the competition (W5 D4 L5).
• In those 14 games, Real Bamako have scored 14 goals and conceded 15 times.
• The six (6) time Malian champions have just 1 away win in the 14 games in the competition.
• Real Bamako have played 7 away games in the competition (W1 D3 L4).
• The 10-time Malian Cup winners have conceded 7 away goals and scored 3.
• Ghanaian clubs have played 10 times at this stage of the competition (W7 L3).
• Ghanaian clubs have scored 22 goals and conceded 22 at this stage of the competition.
• However, Medeama SC (2) and Asante Kotoko (2) have advanced the most times from this stage.
• No Ghanaian club has ever secured a 3-goal margin aggregate win at this stage of the competition.
• 2004: Liberty Professionals 4-3 St Tunisien / King Faisal 2-3 Santos – 2005: Bendel Insurance 0-1 King Faisal / 2006: Berekum Arsenal 0-2 Petro Athletico / 2008: Dolphins 3-4 Kotoko / 2014: Medeama SC 2-1 Zesco United / 2015: Djoliba AC 2-2 Hearts of Oak / 2016: Al-Ahly Shendi 0-2 Medeama / 2018/19: Kariobangi Sharks 1-2 Kotoko / 2019/20 AshantiGold 3-4 RS Berkane / 2022/23: Hearts of Oak have a 3-0 first-leg loss.
• In 1977 Hearts of Oak were able to overturn a 5-2 first-leg loss against Mufulira Wanderers after beating the Zambian side 3-0 at the El Wak Stadium in a game that earned the tagline the Miracle of El Wak after the Phobians used the last 31 minutes of regulation time to overturn the scoreline.
• 29 years later in 2006, Hearts suffered a 4-0 first-leg loss against Ethiopian side St Georges however, the Ethiopians abandoned the game just before half-time over protest of bad officiating when Hearts were leading 2-0 and with penalty kick set to be taken by legend Bernard Don Bortey.
• Hearts playing as the home team against Malian clubs (W2 D1 L1).
• Playing as the home team against Malian clubs, Hearts have scored 5 goals in 4 games and conceded 2.
• Hearts have played 9 times against Malian clubs (W4 D2 L3).
• Hearts have scored 10 goals against Malian clubs in 9 games and conceded 10.
• The last time Hearts of Oak played at this stage of the competition at home was against a Malian club, they lost 1-0 – 2015: Hearts of Oak 0-1 Djoliba AC.

HEAD 2 HEAD

1990
Real Bamako 1-2 Hearts
Hearts 2-0 Real Bamako

Hearts of Oak vs Malian Club

2002
Hearts 1-1 Stade Malien
Stade Malien 3-1 Hearts

2004
Stade Malien 0-0 Hearts
Hearts 2-0 Stade Malien

2015
Djoliba 1-2 Hearts
Hearts 0-1 Djoliba

2022
Real Bamako 3-0 Hearts of Oak

Probable XI

Hearts of Oak predicted XI vs Real Bamako: Richmond Ayi – Samuel Inkoom, Dennis Korsah, Konadu Yiadom, Mohammed Alhassan (C) – Caleb Amankwah, Gladson Awako, Salifu Ibrahim – Suraj Seidu, Junior Kaaba, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh.

Prediction: Hearts 2-0 AS Real Bamako

Player to score: Suraj Seidu

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