Hearts prepare for FA Cup final like ‘world cup’

Hearts of Oak are tipped to win the crunch MTN FA Cup final against Asante Kotoko in Tamale on Sunday.

The two teams travel to meet each other in Tamale and a board member, Frank Nelson, is confident that his team will carry the day. “We are playing our greatest rival which is Asante Kotoko [at] a neutral ground Tamale but I am sure Accra Hearts of Oak will be able to carry the day.”

The two teams are the most successful clubs in the competition’s history, having both won the cup on nine occasions each. Hearts were defeated on penalties by Kotoko in the President’s Cup earlier this year but Frank Nelson believes they will not lose to Kotoko in a second cup final this season.

“We are preparing like a champions league, we are preparing as if we are playing world cup and for us that game means a lot to us,” he told journalists on Thursday.

“For so many years we have not gotten the [Ghana Premier] League, since 2008/2009 was the last time we won the league so I think it is time for us to make amends.

Hearts won their last FA Cup in the year 2000 and have finished as runners-up five times with the Porcupine Warriors also last wining in 2014 and finishing as runners-up on six occasions.

The encounter pits five formidable players with their experience from the WAFU tournament in the Hearts set-up against three from Asante Kotoko.