Hearts of Oak will win the Mantse Derby – NCC Chairman

Chairman of the National Chapters Committee (NCC) of Accra Hearts of Oak, Elvis Herman Hesse, is confident the club will emerge winners of the upcoming Mantse derby, though he admits it will be tough for his side.

The Phobians will lock horns with city rivals Accra Great Olympics in a game tagged the ‘Mantse Derby’ this weekend in a Matchday 2 fixture of the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League.

The 2021/22 MTN FA Champions will go into the game on the back of a 1-0 away defeat to Aduana Stars on Matchday 1 of the betPawa Premier League.

Some supporters have assigned varied reasons for the team’s performance on day 1 with fears the rainbow club may fall short when they come up against an Olympics side that won their week 1 fixture against Bechem United.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nhyira FM in Kumasi, the supporters’ leader, Elvis Herman Hesse, admitted Olympics will come into the game with determination which will make it tough for Hearts.

But he is convinced Hearts of Oak have what it takes to outwit Great Olympics this weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough game. When the Homowo cup didn’t come on, I went to Oly’s training grounds and from their players to their coaches, to their management, they were wild and disappointed, the game didn’t come on,” he said.

“So they will be coming into this game with a lot of determination but trust Accra Hearts of Oak, we know it will be tough but we have psyched ourselves and have put the right things in place so we will not be surprised to carry the day.

“We are always ahead of them [Olympics] just that in the last two or three years, they have tried to overcome us but we believe with the right support, we will turn things around.

“We need this win more than them and the players understand what’s at stake,” he concluded.

The Matchday 2 fixture will be played on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at the Accra Sports Stadium and will be officiated by referee Edward Annan.