Hearts Favourite Over Esperance For Champions League Title

At the foot of every rainbow, it is said, there is a pot of gold: and Ghanaian soccer fans believe they're finally about to find it.
The rainbow in question is Ghana's most colourfully dressed team, Hearts of Oak, and the pot of gold is the Champions League trophy that the club hopes to lift after Sunday's final against Tunisia's Esperance in Accra.
After Hearts won the first leg 2-1 in Tunis a fortnight ago, Ghanaians are gearing up - in anticipation - for a massive celebration.
Almost every street corner is decorated in the club colours of red yellow and blue and die-hard supporters are getting their hands on anything in those colours, which earned Hearts the knickname of "Rainbow side". Excitement is boiling at fever pitch as Accra transforms itself to the rainbow city for the weekend.
It's a pot of gold in more ways that one. It will contain CAF's prize money of almost $500,000 dollars, a slice of the $8 million FIFA Club World Championship in Spain next year and the promise of a clash with the Cup Winners title holders, Egypt’s Zamalek, for the African Super Cup final early in 2001.
After finishing the Ghanaian season with the league and Cup double plus the surprise first-leg win away in Tunis, it seems clear now that this is the year of Hearts.
Nevertheless, the club has intensified it's preparation by setting up a five day training camp in neighbouring Togo - away from the pressure.
With the Champions League top scorer, Emmanuel Kuffour, who has scored eight goals and teenage sensation, Ishmael Addo, Hearts have a deadly arsenal in attack.
Skipper Jacob Nettey marshals the defence, while midfielder, Charles Taylor, is the engine room linking the defenders and the strike force.
Hearts will also count on the agility of goalkeeper, Sammy Adjei’s acrobatics after he rescued the side in Tunis, as well as in many crucial matches. It would be Adjei’s second title at the Accra Sports Stadium, after emerging as the best player in last year’s African Youth Championship with the title holders, Ghana.
Coach Jones Attuquayefio said despite the first-leg win, the real battle is Sunday’s second-leg. "That result gives us an advantage, but a lot of factors show Esperance are a good side - even at the sight of them," said a cautious Attuquayefio. "I am confident though that the trophy is closer and we can even smell it, it’s just about grabbing it now."
Attuquayefio will hope to lift his third continental prize to take up his new job as the new Ghana national team coach on a high note. The former Ghanaian midfielder won the Nations Cup 35 years ago, ironically in Tunisia, and the Under-17 trophy in Guinea 19 months ago.
Hearts have the reputation as the nearly-men of Ghanaian football because they often fail to conquer at the last hurdle. This could be why Attuquayefio wanted the side moved to Togo to escape the distraction of Accra. The coach’s other worry could be the casual approach of the players, who waste clear-cut chances and often defend lackadaisically.
Hearts of Oak last played in the final 21 years ago and lost in a penalty shoot-out to Union Douala of Cameroon. this will be the club's third attempt at the trophy and the first time the Ghanaian side will host the second-leg. Hafia of Guinea denied the Rainbows their first title in 1977 in Conakry.
Esperance should not be ruled out of the running. The North Africans are very experienced and have played in four African club finals since winning the CAF Cup in 1997, and they were runner-up in last year's Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to Raja Casablanca.
The North Africans have a blend of ageing and youthful talent with whom coach Youssef Zouaoui wants to launch an all-out attack like wounded lions. He has moved his team outside Tunis to Tozeur to prepare for a last-gasp comeback in Accra. His team can play with pace and are deadly on the counter attack.
Esperance will need to open the scores in order to put the hosts under pressure and overshadow the Rainbows, in front of the Accra crowd. The visitors will be hoping, against the odds, that by the end of the match, the pot of gold is not sitting at the feet of the rainbow side.