Match Preview: Hearts of Oak vs Liberty Professionals

Hearts of Oak finally picked their pieces up with a vital 1-0 win over bitterest rivals Asante Kotoko SC last Sunday at the Baba Yara stadium after a three-game winless streak.

The Phobians will look to make it a second straight victory as they tackle struggling regional rivals Liberty Professionals at the Cape Coast on Wednesday in a Greater Accra derby.

The Rainbow outfit have the best of opportunities to end their two games winless streak at home.

They lost 2-1 to Elmina Sharks FC and drew 1-1 with Bechem United in their last two home matches in the premiership.

The Phobians could be climbing up six places to the second position on the league ladder with a win against the Scientific Soccer Lads in the midweek.

Assistant coach Edward Nii Odoom will continue to issue instructions at the dugout since Henry Wellington has not recovered from his injury.

Midfielder Samudeen Ibrahim will once again sit out of Wednesday's game with injury.

Liberty Professionals had their troubles compounded after failing to beat bottom placed Wa All Stars last Sunday at the Carl Reindorf park.

The Scientific Soccer Lads shared the spoils with the Northern Blues with a 1-1 stalemate which leaves them in the relegation with only eight points at 14th position.

The visitors have a negative streak of results to end by defeating the Phobians in the regional derby on Wednesday.

They are without a victory in their last four league fixtures managing three losses and one draw.

Managing a win in midweek's crunchy fixture, the Dansoman based side will automatically move out of the drop zone.

Liberty Professionals welcome back midfielder Elvis Kyei Baffour after serving a match suspension.

Centre back Aikins Kyei Baffour is still out with an injury.

MATCH FACTS

Head To Head Total league meetings = 36 Hearts of Oak wins = 20 Drawn matches = 7 Liberty Professionals wins = 9

• Hearts of Oak have recorded only two wins in their last six matches in the premier league. (W2 D1 L3)

• Liberty Professionals have won just two of their last nine games in the league. They are winless in the last four. (W2 D2 L5)

• Hearts of Oak have managed only two victories in their last six home fixtures in the premier league. (W2 D2 L2)

• Liberty Professionals have been able to win two out of their last nine away games in the premier league. (W2 D0 L7)

• Hearts of Oak have lost just once to Liberty Professionals in their last six premier league encounters. (W2 D3 L1)

• Liberty Professionals have managed only five victories in their eighteen visits to Hearts of Oak in the league. (W5 D3 L10)

• Hearts of Oak have kept only one clean sheet in their last six matches in the premiership.

• Liberty Professionals have managed to keep just one clean sheet from their last nine away matches in the premier league.