Afriyie Barnieh – Hearts forward

Hearts of Oak will clash with AS Real Bamako at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, Mali, in their CAF Confederations Cup second round first leg fixture this afternoon.

The game would be a huge test for former Liberty Professionals trainer David Ocloo who will lead the Hearts’ team after they parted ways with Samuel Boadu who managed to get the team back into continental football, after winning the FA Cup last season.

The 2004 champions square off against the Malian giants in a quest to restore their image on the continental stage after an embarrassing campaign last season.

Hearts dropped into the play-off round of the Confederations Cup last season after they were eliminated by eventual winners WAC of Morocco in the Champions League. However, the Phobians also fell off embarrassingly against JS Saoura to miss out on the money zone of the Confederations Cup.

The Phobians also go into the game hoping to make the nation proud after their arch rivals and fellow Ghanaian football giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, were eliminated in the first preliminary round of the Champions League after losing to RC Kadiogo of Burkina Faso.

Hearts will dash into the game in a bid to secure a win far away at Bamako in order to set up a very comfortable return encounter in Accra, next weekend.

A win would also be a huge boost to the team that has started this season’s Ghana Premier League on a very slow note, failing to secure a win in three games.

With the sacking of their head coach Boadu, a lot of weight would be on the shoulders of the team to give fans something to cheer about after a very devastating start to the season – coupled with the suspension of the league.

The likes of Mohammed Alhassan, Gladson Awako, Seidu Suraj and Daniel Afrieyie Barnieh would be leading the Phobians to make it tick in Bamako.

For the hosts, it would be all to play for as they would have their home fans cheering them on to clinch a vital win ahead of their visit to Ghana.

The Malians are usually dominant at home and should set up to frustrate their opponents with their physicality and clout.

With a lot at stake for both teams, it promises to be a keenly-contested encounter ahead of the second leg clash to be played in Accra.

BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE