Berekum Chelsea go all-attack
by Gary Al-Smith 12 May 2012, 19:54
For Hans van der Pluym, the strategy to to play in Garoua is simple: minimal input, maximum output. Berekum Chelsea will play counter-attacking football in Sunday's African Champions League second leg with CotonSport.
He spoke to SuperSport.com. "When they came here they played all defensive. They were closed and did little apart from jab us from time to time. We will do same but attack in equal ways."
CotonSport are Cameroon's reigning league champions and their away draw at the Golden City Park was the first time the Chelsea had failed to score in the preliminary round of the competition. Goalkeeper Fiedjou Loic was the main barrier between Chelsea and a goal.
"If their goalkeeper has a good game then we will find it tough. But they were good in almost every other department of the game too," Pluym noted of Garoua, who were runners up in the Champions League in 2008.
The Ghanaian champions will travel to the northern Cameroonian city of Garoua for the return leg. At stake is advancement to the group phase of the prestigious championship. "I have to say that we wasted chances and that is something we really, really have to avoid".
The gaffer singled out Solomon Asante as being culpable for two good misses, but was philosophical, nonetheless. "My team is very new to the pressures of African club football so it was understandable that Asante and others could not score. But now, we will have no excuses."
Team news
Eighteen players made the trip. Captain Mohammed Abdul Basit returns from suspension and striker Wahab Yahaya has been included.
However, Prince Papa Arkoh is not fit. They will miss defender Ahmed Adams (leg injury) and midfielder Yaw Alexander (groin). The match will be played at the Stade Omnisport de Garoua.
Chelsea squad:
Goalkeepers: Ernest Sowah, Abubakar Iddrisu
Defenders: Alfred Arthur, Ahmed Adams, Richard Kissi Boateng, Edward Kpodo, Eric Agyemang, Richard Afari
Midfielders: Jordan Opoku, Joseph Ato Bissah, Yaw Alexander ,Abdul Basit, Jackson Owusu, Gladson Awako, Solomon Asante
Strikers: Wahab Yahaya, Emmanuel Clottey, Awudu Moro.
