Former Kotoko midfielder, Yusif Chibsah, believes that Hearts of Oak’s capture of the maiden CAF Confederation Cup in 2004 at the expense of Kotoko was not because the Phobians were superior but it was because they were meant to win it.
Hearts edged Kotoko 8-7 via the penalty shootout at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi after the two legs ended 1-1 in a final that gripped the entire nation.
Speaking on GTV Sports Plus’ “Time With The Captains”, Chibsah dismissed assertions that Kotoko were inferior to Hearts over the two legs and that was why the Porcupine Warriors failed to win the trophy.
“Hearts were not better than us in those matches. We played far better than they did. In the first leg, we scored first and they only got back into the match with a Louis Agyemang goal in injury time. We were not scared of playing the second leg at home.
We were super confident at home and we had plans of putting them away but that did not happen. They were just fortunate on the day and they won the trophy.”
The two teams made the final after navigating a very tough group stage.
Kotoko topped their group which had the likes of Enugu Rangers of Nigeria, Al Hilal pf Sudan and Petro de Atletico of Angola while Hearts topped their group ahead of Cameroonian pair of Cotonsport and FC Sable de Batie and Santos of South Africa.