Accra Hearts of Oak will need something exceptional to prevent Zamalek of Egypt from squirreling a routine victory in the Super Cup Final on Sunday at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Zamalek start favourites because of their greater experience of international competition and strength in depth under widely-travelled German Coach Otto Pfister who guided the Starlets to win the 1991 Under-17 Fifa Youth Championship in Italy. Zamalek four times Africa Clubs Champions (1984, 1986, 1993 and 1996) and twice Super Cup Final Champions (1994 and 1997) arrive in Ghana with a galaxy of stars: six Egyptian World Cup veterans including the dreadful Hossam twin brothers and hugely talented Khalid 'The Maestro' El-Ghandour.

Zamalek exhibit a sublime arrogant touch, passing their balls with precision and audacity. Like the champions that they are, they play with rhythm and control and elegance with safety in the backline.

Under Coach Otto Pfister, Zamalek employ wing backs to open up the attack, switch play to the flank, make full use of the pitch, including the wide areas, and tear apart the opposing defence. The opposing team is forced to move defenders out to the flanks, thus allowing strikers more space in the middle. They will line up in the 3-5-2 or 3-6-1 formation.

Three names shine among the rest: Khalid "The maestro" El-Ghandour is a sheer pleasure, supreme entertainer. He caresses the ball, sliding it through opponents' legs, lifting it elegantly over flailing defenders and bending the ball into the net from free kicks. Then comes Hossam Hassan. He is able to capture his team mate's position in a split second. His ball artistry defies belief and his remarkable skills as schemer and striker rolled into one are in a class of their own. His brilliant finishing puts even good defenders in the shade. Osama Nabih owes his inclusion in the team to the club's Board who persuaded Coach Otto Pfister to re-instate him after he was sidelined. He is a goal- getter and deputises for Hossam Hassan who at 37, is prone to injury and sickness.

Other players the Phobians must watch are: El Hassan Mohammed, Medhat Abd-El-Hadi, Tamer Abdel Hamid, Walid Salah Abdel Latif and Ibrahim Hossam. Others are: Mohammed Abd El-Monsef, Ahmed Saleh, Tarek El Sayed, Mohamed Sabry, Mohammed Kamouna and Ayman Mashli. The rest are: Amr Fahim, Samy El-Shishini, Haythem Farouk, Wael El-Kabany and Beshir El-Tabeye.

But on occasions, Zamalek against good sides do not exhibit their natural selves, especially in an away match, and the fact that they have not beaten any Ghanaian side for the past ten years hardly augurs well for their chances on Sunday at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. You remember the 5-1 drubbing by Kotoko at the same venue? Sentimentally, I'll go in for a Hearts win. But the records, the class and the pedigree point to a Zamalek victory.

Hearts of Oak will therefore face trial by Zamalek's fire-power.