Accra, March 3, GNA - Champion club, Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak will be persuaded to meet again in a cup match that promises to offer a lot of attraction to the Ghanaian sporting public and the international diplomatic corps.

At stake will be a 31 inch gold cup, christened the 'American Cup,' which is being offered by Golden Concepts International (GCI), an Accra based Sports Marketing and Promotion firm.

Mr. Henry Manly-Spain, a Director of the company told the GNA Sports from his base in the USA on Wednesday that the cup would be competed for in a two-tier confrontation at the Kumasi and Accra Sports stadiums, with the overall winner taking home the cup.

He said he was in the process of securing the services of three highly respected referees from the United States of America to officiate in the matches to eliminate any doubts about unfair refereeing, adding that the presence of the Americans will also strengthen the bond of friendship between Ghana and the US in the field of sports.

"The American Gold Cup will become a regular feature of the Ghanaian sporting calendar and it is intended primarily, to eliminate the unnecessary tension and suspicion that usually characterized matches between Kotoko and Hearts."

Mr. Manly-Spain said a press conference would be held in a fortnight to officially outdoor the cup and create awareness about the significance of the match, as a way of educating the followers of the two clubs to know that soccer, being the passion of the nation, could be supported without resort to violence.

"My heart bleeds any time I remember what happened on May 9, 2001 at the Accra Sports Stadium and I think the institution of the American Gold Cup will be my contribution to advocating a peaceful and friendly spectatorship at football matches in the country," he said.

Meanwhile, Golden Concepts International has written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) asking the soccer controlling body to respond to a request from the US Soccer Federation regarding the level of referees required.

The GCI's letter was in response to an earlier one from the US Soccer Federation signed by Julie Ilacqua, Managing Director of Federation Services requesting GCI to root its demand through the GFA. The US Soccer also requested that the GFA furnished them with "the specific date of the competition and the financial arrangements for the referees' travel, game fees, room and board expenses," insisting that the details should be sent by the General Secretary of GFA to Mr. Dan Flynn, his American counterpart.

Reacting to the US Federation's request, Mr. Manly-Spain said GCI would bear the cost involved in transporting the referees to and from Ghana and make them comfortable before and after the match until they depart to their bases in the US.

He said he would arrive before the end of the week with the cup and finalise arrangements with the GFA to enable them to expedite action on the American Federation's request. 3 March 04