Bibiani Gold Stars head coach Petros Koukouras says his side will maintain their attacking approach when they face FC Samartex 1996 in Sunday’s Ghana Premier League regional derby.
The Miners travel to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena for the Matchday Nine meeting with the Timber Boys, which is scheduled to begin at 15:00 GMT.
Gold Stars have been encouraged by their recent results, but Koukouras wants his players to show that their improved form has come through effort rather than fortune. He also says the significance of the derby has given the squad additional motivation.
“The players are very motivated. It’s one of the derbies, and we want to prove that the last few good results didn’t come by luck. So, everyone is ready for the game, and they really want to prove the point,” he told the club’s media.
Koukouras accepts that playing away from home may require some tactical changes, but the Greek coach says those adjustments will not alter the team’s basic principles.
He believes the match should be approached in the same way as any other fixture, despite the local rivalry and the added demands that come with it.
“For us, it’s another game, although in the derby we approach it as a normal game. It can only give us three points, or we can only lose three points,” he added.
Gold Stars will therefore seek to apply the style they have used since the start of the season, with Koukouras insisting the team will not travel simply to protect their goal.
“So the principles of play should remain the same as we had from the beginning of the season. They might be a little bit different because it’s an away game,” he said.
“But we’re not going there to defend. We should go to attack and score goals and try to win whatever positive result we can get there.”
The fixture gives Gold Stars the opportunity to continue their recent progress, while FC Samartex 1996 will host the visitors at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in the Matchday Nine contest. Koukouras’ message to his players is that the derby should bring discipline and adaptation without forcing them to abandon their established identity.