Former Asante Kotoko, Ashantigold and Black Stars forward Isaac Boakye has cautioned Kotoko over the threat of Tunisian giants Etoile Sportive du Sahel as the two power houses in African football face off at the Baba Yara sports stadium on Sunday in the first leg of the Champions League preliminary qualifiers.
Etoile du Sahel, nicknamed The Stars, have won the Tunisian premier League, Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 on ten occasions, lifted the CAF Champions League trophy once (in 2007 after beating Al Ahly 3-1 over two legs), and have won the CAF Confederation Cup twice in 2006 and recently in 2015 as well as the CAF Super Cup in 1998 and in 2008.
Speaking to the Fox FM’s Richmond Opoku Afriyie on Rush Hour Sports, Asante Kotoko legend Isaac Boakye cautioned his former employers to beware of the threat and strength of Etoile, but urged them not to give them too much respect on the field of play.
“The little I will them (Kotoko) is they should not underrate them (Etoile du Sahel) and also they should go all out”, he advised the Porcupine Warriors ahead of the Sunday match.
However, Boakye urged them to focus on the game and not give Etoile too much respect on the field of play. “They should put respect aside that they (Etoile) are a team that plays in the African Cup every year, at the end of the day you are both playing on the field”, he cautioned.
According to the former Asante Kotoko super striker, both Asante Kotoko and Ashantigold SC should take advantage of playing the first leg of their matches at home to secure qualification by winning at home at all cost.
“They are all playing their first matches at home so at all cost they should have it in mind to win because if they’ll qualify from this stage it will depend on their performance on Sunday, and they should be discipline on the field of play”, said.