Can Taylor Nail Hearts Today?

Charles Asampong Taylor faces the match of his life on Sunday when he lines up for new club Kumasi Asante Kotoko in their 13th week Kinapharma premier league match against former club, Accra Hearts of Oak.

Matches between the two sides have been hotly contested and Sunday's will not be different.


Coming just a week after the striker made a controversial switch from Hearts to Kotoko, the game undoubtedly will be tinged with undercurrents of wrath carried over from the convoluted transfer saga.


Prince Charles, as fans of his new club affectionately call him, has already produced snippets of what he is capable of contributing to the title campaign of the Porcupine Warriors.


Contrary to the wishes and fears of soccer fans, Taylor seems to be still wielding the dexterity with which he spearheaded Hearts of Oak to three league titles and the Champions League glory in 2000.


The ingenious striker scored his first goal of the season during Kotoko's mid-week clash with Bofoakwa Tano and also crafted the second for Aziz Ansah to slot home.


Sports analysts believe his performance in that single match makes the ?1.25 billion price tag ridiculously cheap. Nevertheless, it would be rash to conclude that Taylor can maintain his usual quicksilver self at Asante Kotoko until after Sunday's titanic duel.

It is a common phenomenon for players meeting their former teams under similar circumstances, to fizzle out and Taylor may not be an exception. That he will be under the microscopic eyes of both his detractors and supporters in view of the furore surrounding his transfer is however not lost on him, and the diminutive predator cannot afford to flop on Sunday.


Hearts are in bubbling form, in spite of losing about six players who were most influential in previous campaigns. Having shaken off the initial lethargy that saw them recording some draws against lowly sides, the Phobians look every bit prepared for the stifling challenge from their archrivals.


Coach Herbert Addo, in a chat with The Chronicle said Charles Taylor is the least of his worries on Sunday. Addo who has had his fair share of criticism for the team's stuttering start to the league, has churned some brilliant results lately with a new crop of players who seem to be fitting perfectly into the footsteps of their predecessors.


He applauded his boys for keeping to the strategy and creating numerous chances in Wednesday's tie with Arsenals. Addo said though Hearts scored only a goal in that game, they shielded their goal post resolutely and created good goal scoring chances.


Against Kotoko who have a penchant for scoring late goals, Addo might have to revise his strategy lest his side crumbles under incessant pressure.


Charles Taylor is already pairing up beautifully with Aziz Ansah upfront and with Isaac Boakye always there to provide dying minute goal, the Porcupine Warriors could prove most deadly at the Kumasi sports stadium.

Accra Great Olympics have a tall order in disposing of King Faisal at the Accra sports stadium. Faisal are revelling in a spell of wins lately and will be difficult to upset, but Olympics will seek to appease their home crowd after that loss to Goldfields in mid-week.


Mine Stars seem unbeatable against RTU in Prestea but Bofoakwa Tano face another difficult task in Power FC even at the Sunyani Coronation Park.


Liberty Professionals will have no respite playing against Arsenals in Berekum after Thursday's date with the Lions in Accra.


Hasaacas are the next in line to enter the Lions' den at the Kpando Park while B.A United search for an away win against Stay Cool.


Tomorrow, at the Accra sports stadium, Okwawu United will battle Goldfields. The Aboakese side has not tasted defeat in their last four matches. They seem to be on a renaissance after the 5-1 humiliation by King Faisal and not even the resurgent Okwawu can be their waterloo.