Exactly ten years ago on May 9, 2011, my dad, an unrepentant Hearts of Oak fan was at the Accra Sports Station when the stadium disaster that claimed some 127 souls happened. Of course we watched the game at home and despite the initial joy of Hearts beating Kumasi Ashanti Kotoko by 2 goals to 1, news of people were dying at the Stadium alarmed us to death. We first heard that some four people had died just after the game. Then, the number rose to six, then, 8 and it kept rising. Dad was still not back two hours after the game, and well, ten years ago mobile phones were scarce. He did not have one, so we didn't exactly know what had happened.
Mother almost went mad just thinking of the possibilities. We practically stopped her from going to the Stadium that evening. Just then, dad comes back home and tells us that he felt very uncomfortable of the atmosphere and decided to leave the stadium about five minutes to full time. He missed what has since been termed "black Wednesday" by just five minutes. Since that incident, matches involving the two traditional teams have been played under heavy security.
Tomorrow, March 20 is another date for the two most glamorous clubs to lock horns and again takes place at the same venue of the unfortunate May 9 incident and it promises to be a must see. The euphoria surrounding the game is already so high, radio stations can't stop talking about it. Not even the draw that pitched Chelsea and Manchester United in the quarter finals of the Champions League was enough to upstage it. I am of the view that Man U will take a beating of their lives in both legs. I am sure of it. So we'll Chelsea, Barca, Real Madrid and Inter go through to the Semi's. I digressed, sorry.
In an article, FIFA outlines the facts and figures between these two below.
With the Ghanaian championship in its 50th season, 40 of the past 49 titles have been shared between Hearts and Kotoko. Kotoko’s last championship success in 2008 marked their 21st triumph, while Hearts’ 2009 conquest was their 19th. Their league clashes in recent years have been dominated by Hearts, but Kotoko have bragging rights in terms of the impact they have made on the continent. Kotoko had won the African Champions Cup twice and lost a further five finals before Hearts had their first success in 2000. It came at their third attempt in the final after previous failures in 1977 and 1979. In 2004, the two clubs shared the distinction of becoming the first clubs from the same country to dispute the final of an annual African club competition when they reached the final of CAF Confederation Cup. Both legs of the deciding tie ended in 1-1 draws, before Hearts took the honours 8-7 on post-match penalties.
With the above statistics, there is no doubt this match promises to be a good one even though both teams are not in contention for this years league title. The bragging right alone is enough motivation for this match to be a fantastic one. The first leg in Kumasi saw Hearts beat their arch-rivals by a lone goal and thoroughly dominated them and Phobians would fancy their chances once again especially considering this is a home match. But, ardent followers of this type of game would tell you this can be anybody's game but being a Hearts of Oak fan, I would go for a Hearts win.
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