Soccer News of Saturday, 23 June 2012

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MTN FA CUP: Chelsea look to the past for FA Cup warning

In the past season where Berekum Chelsea stormed to the Ghanaian league title, the MTN FA Cup proved a curse for them as their hopes of a double was ended at the semi-final stage.

Now, the Berekum side, after failing to win the domestic league are again in the last four stage of the Cup competition with a big hurdle to climb when they meet AshantiGold.

The two teams will meet at the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday in the first semi-final match with either side determined to seal a final berth.

Chelsea will find in the Miners a much stronger opposition than they anticipated this time last year when they were meeting surprise FA Cup winners, FC Nania, who ended their hopes.

The Miners, who finished second are eager to lift the Cup to placate their fans after failing to overhaul Asante Kotoko in the Premier League.

But Chelsea captain Abdul Basit says they are also determined to secure the title to make up for failed Premier League title defence.

“Winning the FA Cup will appease our fans since we couldn’t defend the premier league title,” Basit said.

Chelsea are safe in the knowledge that a win will take them closer to the title while defeat will present them with a similar scenario that they experienced last year.