CAFCL: “JS Kabylie will underrate GoldStars at their own peril” – Frimpong Manso

Head coach of GoldStars, Desmond Frimpong Manso has reflected on their maiden CAF Champions League campaign where they will open the journey at home to JS Kabylie.

The Ghana champions will host the Algerian side in the first leg preliminary stage of the competition at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, September 20, a game that looks mountainous but coach Frimpong Manso is undaunted by the task ahead.

“We know them [JS Kabylie] to be one of the powerhouses of African football when it comes to the CAF Champions League,” Frimpong Manso told media men.

“Now this is our first time entering into that competition and nowadays when you look at the trend the champions league or the AFCON is taking, we don’t have any minnows in it again.

“Gone were the days when you looked at the list you could easily predict who and who are going to qualify but now the paradigm has shifted.

“So you can’t underrate any team so for us we don’t see ourselves as underdogs [although] a newcomer but we are going to play with them.”

“They are a team we need to respect but not on the field of play and we’ve told them (our players) to be more confident.

“It’s the same stage for all of us whether it’s the first time or not. They may know a lot of things more than us but then this is also our home so we need to take the advantage of playing at home.

GoldStars lifted their maiden Ghana Premier League

“We don’t have to underrate ourselves against North African opponents as the case has been for some time now.” Frimpong Manso added.

GoldStars lifted their maiden Ghana Premier League title after shrugging off competition from giants Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.

They equally posted a blistering performance to clinch their first ever GHALCA Top 4 tournament but unluckily lost the Champion-of-Champions by 1-0 against FA Cup winners Asante Kotoko at the Duns Park.