Ghanaian clubs were household named in Africa club football: Kotoko have won two African club Champions Cup in 7 finals, while Hearts have two Africa Inter club titles: the Champions League and the Confederation Cup. Ashanti Gold also played in the first ever CAF Champions League in 1997, but lost via a penalty shootout against Raja Casablanca, after the two legs had ended 1-1 on aggregate.
Ghana have been misfiring on the African continent since Hearts of Oak won the CAF Confederation Cup, after CAF merged the Cup Winners Cup and the CAF Cup in 2004: Two Ghanaian clubs, Kotoko and Hearts made history by reaching the final of the competition. It was the first time two clubs from the same country played in the final of any CAF Inter Club Competition.
Since that time the closest a Ghanaian side have reached is the group stage. Berekum Chelsea in 2012 defied all expectations to beat RAJA Casablanca and Cotton Sport Garoua to reach the group stage on their debut. They finished third behind Al Ahly and T.P Mazambe and consequently missed out on the semi-finals.
However, they were hailed by all football loving fans in Ghana for such an enviable feat.
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Read more: CAF Confederation Cup
Ghana as a result consistent poor performances on the African continent have lost one of our two slots in both the CAF the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Champions League.
Medeama have the opportunity to redeem Ghana’s image as a football powerhouse in African club football and If they have anything to do they have to do it this weekend as they face a star-studded Tuit Puissant Mazembe.
The Congolese giants have already booked their ticket to the last four of the CAF Confederation Cup, after picking 10 points from four games and remain the only side undefeated thus far in group A of the contest.
The one remaining slot for a place is now a neck to neck affair between M.O Bejaia of Algeria and Ghana’s Medeama: Both M.O Bejaia and Medeama are on 5 points, but the latter, after four games have a superior goal difference.
Medeama have their destiny in their own hands, as they come face to face against T.P Mazembe.
Although, the group leaders boast of a depth in squad with nationals from different African counmtries, we have seen several games across the world that team work and determination have made nonsense of individual brilliance in a team. The Atletico Madrid team of 2014 and 2016, Valencia team in the early 2000s and Greece Euro 2004 team are clear examples of that.
All Ghanaians are behind Medeama and they shouldn’t let the nation down. The Premier League Board and the Ghana Football Association have rescheduled all Sunday Ghana Premier League matches to Saturday in order to pay particular attention to the Medeama CAF Confederation Cup game against T.P Mazembe on Sunday at the Essipong Sports Stadium, Sekondi.
Moses Armah Parker, the President of Medeama SC has stated that his side can’t afford to let all the three points slip through their hands. The club should walk the talk by putting up an extra ordinary performance to stop T.P Mazembe.
The Yellow and Mauves side in the first leg in Lubumbashi took an early lead but succumbed to an incessant pressure from the Congolese to lose 1-3, so this is the time for them to avenge that defeat to make a case for a place in the semi-finals.
However, they have to tread cautiously as they throw more men upfront in search of goals against a team that are very difficult to dominate due to the quality they posesses.
Berekum Chelsea in 2012 defeated the Congolese side 1-0 in Ghana, which was the last time they visited Ghana for a competitive game. It is Medeama’s moment to also replicate what their compatriots did in 2012.
But they were in Ghana again for the President’s Cup in 2013 and Hearts of Oak edged them on penalties to set a date with Medeama in the final of the competition.