Teams to use official entrance to stadium

Kumasi, Jan 6, GNA - Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting clubs will be expected to use the official entrance to the stadium in accordance with CAF regulations, Alhaji Rashid Bawah, Minister of State in-charge of Sports has hinted.

This forms part of efforts to have an incident-free second leg CAF Confederation Cup final match between the two teams in Kumasi on Sunday and the two teams would be persuaded to abide by the rules.

Briefing the press in Kumasi on Thursday on preparations being made to ensure a successful final match, Alhaji Bawah said police personnel who would be detailed to maintain peace during the match would have special badges to identify them.

He said the whole world would be watching to see how matured and advanced Ghana had reached in its football development in view of the fact that the match would be played in the wake of Ghana's successful bid to host the 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament.

This therefore behoved on all stakeholders of football to help ensure an incident-free match on Sunday.

Mr Bawah also announced that ball boys, cameramen, paramedics and the police band that would be detailed to the inner perimeter of the stadium would be thoroughly searched to avert the incidence of anyone sending an illegal object unto the pitch.

Supporters who will throng the stadium will also be searched thoroughly for offensive weapons, adding that a high-powered security personnel will be dispatched to mix with the supporters to avert any acts of hooliganism.

Alhaji Bawah therefore made a passionate appeal to the players, supporters and management of Kotoko and Hearts to comport themselves in a manner that will make Sunday's match incident-free.

He commended the two teams for making it to the finals, saying, in spite of the fallen standard of Ghana football we can still have something to cheer about.

Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports announced that the sale of alcoholic beverages at the stadium would be banned whilst cars without official CAF stickers will not be allowed into the stadium.