Hearts of Oak seek to return Ghanaian football to past glories when they host Esperance of Tunisia in the second leg of the African Champions League final on Sunday.

Hearts, leading 2-1 after the first leg a fortnight ago, are seeking to become only the second Ghanaian club to win the continental title.

Great rivals Asante Kotoko claimed the top club prize in 1970 and 1983, when Ghana's footballers were among the most successful in Africa.

Hearts won the first leg in Tunis after weathering an early storm from Esperance, who are looking for their fourth African club title in six years.

Hearts came from a goal down after a torrid first half. It was only the second time since 1971 that Esperance had been beaten at home in African club competition. A 35,000 capacity crowd is expected at Accra's National stadium for the return. The winner will also book a place in next year's World Club Championship in Spain. Hearts of Oak prepared in neighbouring Togo for the game, away from the pressure of their home supporters. The Phobians, coached by former Ghanaian international Jones Attaquayefio, boast the competition's leading goalscorer, captain Emmanuel Osei Kuffour having scored eight times. His frontline partner is the exciting, pacey 18-year-old Ishmael Addo, who also got a goal in the first leg. The game is particularly poignant, however, for Edward Agyemang-Duah, who played in two previous Champions League finals and ended on the losing side both times. Duah was in the Asante Kotoko team beaten by Zamalek of Egypt in 1993 and played for Goldfields when they lost on penalties against Morocco's Raja Casablanca in 1997. Hearts fullback Yaw Amankwah Mireku is suspended after being sent off in the first leg.

For Esperance, the spectre of a second successive loss in the final looms large although they do have potential match winners in Brazilian striker Reinaldo and attacking partner Ali Zitouni.

"We will be able to change the tide of events, thus staging a surprise in the second leg, just as Hearts did in Tunis," said Esperance's international defender Tarek Thabet.