Hearts of Oak host New Edubiase in Accra

kwame 08:42 - 20 February 2016

Preview of the Ghana Premier League game between Hearts of Oak and New Edubiase

Hearts of Oak will welcome New Edubiase in their opening fixture of the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 21 February, 2016.

Kenichi Yatushashi will be making his Ghana Premier League debut against a side that has been a torn in the flesh of his team.

The Phobians had a dreadful outing in their pre-season opening games but in their recent games they have been splendid picking three vital wins and one draw likewise New Edubiase who were quite in their pre-season games.

Heats of Oak in the transfer window showed clear indications of what they wanted to do in the upcoming season – after releasing 11 players which include the likes of Emmanuel Hayford, Tetteh Lugard, Kwaku Andoh etc. The Phobians brought in experienced players and young and energetic players to fill in the vacuum as the likes of Samuel Yeboah. Richard Akrofi, Samudeen Ibrahim, Mustapha Essuman and Kennedy Appiah were all captured by the Accra giants on the transfer-deadline day.

With New Edubiase, they were quite on the local transfer, they went in for relatively unknown players after transferring six of their first team players with their names being - Nuhu Fuseini, Alhassan Nuhu, Emmanuel Nti Mensah, Assiedu Attobrah, Bernard Ofori and Bismarck Idan.

Edubiase for the past two seasons have been a torn in the flesh of the Phobians as last season for instance they recorded a 2-1 double victory over the Phobians but the Accra giants will have the needed opportunity to overturned the tables as they are yet to lose an opening fixture to the Bekwai based club.

Ahead of the game, Hearts of Oak general captain Thomas Abbey spoke with Pulse.com.gh and the former Windy Professionals is sure of a win against New Edubiase.

“It is not going to an easy game, for the past two years Edubiase have been a torn in our flesh because last season for instance they beat us home and away but not this time. We are going all out to pick the three points at stake, I’m sure of that because looking at the players we have currently and the tactics coming from our technical bench, there is no way we will lose to Edubiase.

“I’m calling on the fans to come to the stadium in their numbers because we are definitely going to win the game for them,” Abbey said.

But Edubiase’s shot stopper Ben Mensah who haS been part of the Bekwai based club for the past four seasons rebuffed Thomas Abbey’s prediction.

“They can talk but the pitch will do the talking, we have rich history over them, last season we run over them and this season we are going to do the same. Sunday we will shock Hearts of Oak in front of their home fans,” said confident Mensah.

HEAD TO HEAD

The two sides have met 12 times in the Ghana premier league since New Edubiase got promoted to the elite division in the 2009/10 season. The Phobians have won six times. Lost four and drawn 2.

27 goals have been scored in their 12 meetings, the Accra giants have netted 17 times and conceded 10 times.

2009 / 2010