Joy Sports previews Sunday's big fixture between Hearts and Great Olympics.

Olympics will be playing at home at the Accra Sports Stadium and die-hards will know this is game that has been missed since it was last seen in 2008/09 season.

Olympics got relegated that season and the capital has been robbed of this historic clash.

The buildup this time has been huge, especially in Accra. Olympics board member Fred Pappoe is rubbishing the talk that puts Hearts' form in Africa in good stead.

"They are not in that kind of form. They’re saying it to satisfy themselves but they are not in any kind of form. We don’t respect any form of Accra Hearts of Oak," he told Joy Sports.

AT STAKE

That may be true, because in the league Hearts remain ninth. But the points spread means that although Olympics are 13th on the table, a win will take them above their city rivals.

Hearts' lead forward is Gilbert Fiamenyo. He has eight goals in 13 league games. 

"I want to assure Hearts of Oak fans that they will smile after the game against Olympics because we will beat them, we will not even play out a draw game with them because our target is to go for the three points," he told Asempa FM. 

The big striker went on: "We have heard Olympics players bragging but we will not tone the same line with them, we want the fans to come to the stadium to witness what we did in Mali against Djoliba and surely we will beat Olympics." 

"I don’t know what will happen on the day because since I joined Hearts of Oak three years ago I have not played the Accra derby game before," Fiamenyo added.

It's not just that. The 22-year-old is looking to get back to the top of the charts after Medeama's Nathaniel Asamoah took over in the last fortnight with nine goals.

VETERANS

Richard Kingson last played in this fixture in 1996, and conceded a great goal from the incomparable Shamo Quaye. He is relishing a return to the game that used to bring Accra to standstill. 

“I’m confident that we will beat Hearts. It  is a game we are looking up to and with the determination in camp we will get the three points,” Kingson told Olympics TV. 

Two other veterans of the game are billed to start for Olympics: ex-Black Star Godwin Attram and Dan Quaye - who made his name with Hearts.

THE NUMBERS

The head to head for the two clubs makes for good reading

 - These sides have played 88 league games, with Hearts of winning 38, whiles Gt. Olympics have managed 22 league victories and 28 have end in draws.

- The last time the Wonder club defeated the Phobians in a league game was 2004, when they edged them 3-2.

-Hearts of Oak have won their last three league games against Gt. Olympics.

- They have engaged each other in 32 premier league games, with Hearts of Oak winning 11, losing 5 and drawing 12 against Gt. Olympics in encounters which date back to the 1993/94 season.

-These sides have had three of their league encounters ended abruptly, due to the fierce rivalry between them.

TRIVIA

- Great Olympics are undefeated in their last three league games, winning two and drawing one, while Hearts of Oak are expected to translate their super form in the CAF Confederations Cup into the Ghana Premier League.

- Hearts are undefeated in all their five games in Africa, but their performance is inconsistent on the domestic scene.

- Hearts marksman Gilbert Fiamenyo is on 8 league goals, with Doetse Agbashie having scored 4 league goals for the ‘Wonder Club’

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Compiled by Gary Al-Smith: @garyalsmith on Twitter