SOCCER giants Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Sunday engage in another confrontation at the Kumasi Sports Stadium as the Coca-Cola Top 4 tournament reaches a climax.

While the Coca-Cola tournament does not rank in prestige as yesterday's Morocco-Tunisia clash, the Kumasi encounter has its unique attraction and significance as the defining moment for the competition, especially with King Faisal?s shadow looming large as the participating clubs sprint to the finishing line.

In a tournament livened up by Faisal?s giant-killing feat over the traditional giants, Hearts and Kotoko the ultimate prize - a ticket to compete in a similar tournament in South Africa - pales in significance as compared with the outcome of the Kumasi clash.
In fact, in the history of the two clubs there is no such thing as a friendly match, and the significance of Sunday?s result will extend beyond the tournament.

In the nation?s capital, Faisal will not only seek revenge for a shock 1-0 loss suffered at the hands of Liberty Professionals, but also want to keep on track their title hunt by avoiding another loss to Liberty.
Fireworks will best describe the Kumasi match as Hearts also seek their pound of flesh for a 2-0 loss to Kotoko in last year?s competition. However, the Phobians have an uphill task as they have not beaten their opponents in the Garden City in the recent past - most clashes between them have either ended as draws or victory for the Porcupine Warriors. In the first round clash in Accra, Hearts fought back to hold Kotoko to a 1-1 draw.
Hearts? once-dreaded form is gradually deserting them, and coach Herbert Addo and his technical assistants are doing all within their powers to sharpen the team?s rough edges, halt the slide and return them to winning ways. His Kotoko counterpart, Malik Jabir, is more fortunate to have inherited a side on the rise, hungry for success and fired up by their army of supporters.
But Kotoko?s internal problems seem to have affected the team?s progress lately, and on different occasions Liberty and Faisal have exposed them in the tournament.
Although they are far from the finished article many expect of league champions, Kotoko still look stronger and have more options than the Phobians who are undergoing a kind of rebuilding, with coach Addo infusing into his side such young players as Luis Agyemang, Frank Kornu and Nii Nanka Bruce.
These young guns have in recent matches shown flashes of promise, yet on Sunday Hearts will still ride on the experience of more mature players like Bernard Dong-Bortey, Lawrence Adjei, Ablade Morgan and skipper Yaw Amankwaa Mireku to face squarely the threat from their arch rivals.
Kotoko are yet to move into top gear in the tournament but have found the winning touch when it mattered most. Nothing tickles their egos more than a victory over Hearts, and with the Coca-Cola trophy in sight Kotoko can be expected to throw everything into the match.
Coach Jabir?s defence provides a lot of concern, having experimented with different combinations for each match. But his team derives its main strength from midfield where Yusif Chibsah, Edmund Owusu-Ansah, Stephen Oduro and mercurial Charles Taylor have provided ammunition for strikers Nana Arhin-Duah, Frank Osei to keep the team in the title hunt.
With the suspension of dependable defender Dan Quaye, coach Addo will have to find a suitable replacement to hold in check Kotoko?s mobile attackers, tighten the screws in midfield, and generally hope that his players find the right chemistry and winning formula.
On the strength of their recent performances, a draw looks the likely outcome in Kumasi. Such a result will also please Faisal who will be monitoring events in Oseikrom.
Faisal have displayed an admirable form and strong character under the guidance of German coach Hans Dieter-Schmidt. While posting good results, they have virtually swept the best player awards in their past matches. Liberty forced them to taste the bitter pill in Kumasi and still remain a banana peel in Faisal?s path to glory.
Sly Tetteh?s side only warmed themselves into the competition rather late, and their performance suggests that they will be a hard nut to crack after stretching Kotoko before losing 2-1.The absence of striker Asamoah Gyan will definitely weaken Liberty?s attacking options and their coach, Sellas Tetteh, must, therefore, dig deep into his reserves to unearth another saviour.
Faisal?s young assassin, Kojo Poku, remains the main threat that Liberty must watch out for. In midfielder Hamza Mohammed and Eric Gawu are other options Faisal can fall on to make real their chairman and founder, Alhaji Karim Grunsah?s bold prediction to pick one of the two tickets to the Rainbow Nation.