The Greater Accra Bissa FC will play against old foes Zabarmas in the Quarter-Final of the Zongo intertribal gala as each seeks to outfox the other for a Semi- final ticket.
It is a recall of old rivalry and Tuesday offers another opportunity for either side to claim superiority over the other.
The game perhaps is the biggest test for Coach Sani Mohammed Bansie and his boys so far in this tournament.
It has been an exacting encounter between the two for years, but it is the Zabarmas who come into this game huge pride as defending champions.
They made a dramatic return to clinch the ultimate in the maiden edition after running away from Bissas’ scare in when it was time for a penalty shootout.
They earned a huge winning bonus from the Chairman of Afro Arab group of Companies, Abdul Salam, who is a Zabarma and have received another big promise coming into this match.
They have had a shaky start in their title defence but fighting their way through to the Quarter-Final stage summarises how formidable they are.
The Bissas look poised for a place in the Finals, having shook off from a false start in a defeat to the Mossis to an exciting story in victory over the Akans.
But it is an encounter between two teams, whose rivalry dates back to 2017, with the Zabarmas still searching for their first victory against the Bissas.
Their periodic friendly games became the genesis of the now Zongo inter tribal Gala.
Their first two encounters in 2017 and 2018 both ended in a goalless draw.
However Bissas grabbed the bragging right in 2019 with 1-0 victory from a goal scored by Sannie Mohammed Bansie, who is now the current coach of Bissas.
The year 2020 saw no competition between the two due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021 came the birth of the Zongo Inter-tribal Gala as 18 other ethnic groups expressed interest to join the community soccer fiesta.
The Bissa met Zabarma’s in round of 16 but after 1-1 draw, the Zabarma’s left the field in protest against the referee.
They were declared losers of the tie but they somehow staged a dramatic come back to win the ultimate in a Final against a Kotokoli team who had eliminated the Bissas at Quater-Final stage.
Bissa are yet to taste defeat in the hands of the Zabarmas in all encounters and a win this afternoon at Kanda Cluster of Schools Park will be a continuation of tradition that began five years ago.