For Hearts of Oak football team the shape of thing to come in this year's CAF champion's league may well be decided by what happens in their encounter against E'toile du Congo of Zaire. By the result of this match, the Phobians will know if the players the club has picked have peaked up for the competitive games ahead for a team in the real sense of the word.

The coach's selection will be finalised when Osei Kufuor, Ishmael Addo, Amankwah Mireku and others become free from jet lag.

Sammy Adjei, another tiring player will be in goal. But both James Nanor and Eben Dida are in terrific form. With three equally good goalkeepers, Hearts have no problem in goalkeeping. That, at least is the hope which the other goalkeepers are clinging. If whatever team coach Attuquayefio fields beat the Congolese in style,, doubts about their chances retaining the championship trophy wills start to ease. A convincing victory would set Hearts of Oak up as the team beat again this year and send shivers in the spinal of both local ad continental opponents.

For coach Attuquayefio, te margin of error is narrow, almost to non- existence. A setback will endanger their chances of reaching the league stage, as in the case of a Raja of Morocco. An historic first victory of a Congolese club over Hearts would spell FINIS for what remains of hearts optimism, and a draw would not be much better.

Attuquayefio's approach has quickly shown refreshing signs of rationality. He has not had time to build a Hearts side from new foundations so he is constructing a team from pre-fabricated sections of the recruited parts available. The midfield and attack is drawn almost exclusively from the old squad with Charles Taylor and George Eranio manning the outfields. The goalkeeping and defensive positions will be more diverse. Much will be asked from the precocious Stephen Tetteh.

Provided Hearts get an early grip of the midfield against the Congolese, victory will not elude them. Hearts must try not to give the congolese too mush space. Then they can be dangerous, for they are a very organised side with two quick players' upfront and central defenders who are good in the air. Hearts must not allow themselves to become stretched. You cannot play good football when that happens.

All that Hearts can do is t win this match and give the Phobian followers something better to look forward to than a spot of flag waving and cheering followed by failure, somber and sullen accompaniment.