Businessman Kennedy Agyepong has given the old players of Kumasi Asante Kotoko a pat on the back with a 3,000 Ghana cedi reward after a clash with their Hearts of Oak counterparts at the Accra Sports Stadium last Sunday.
The Kotoko Oldies cancelled a two-goal deficit late in the game to share the spoils with their opponents after winning the first leg 3-1 in Kumasi a couple of weeks earlier.
And to reward them for their splendid showing, Mr. Agyepong, a former Kotoko board member, hosted the Kotoko players immediately after the match at his plush residence at Aiport West Residential Area, where he gave them a treat followed by the 3,000 Ghana cedis reward.
Amont the Kotoko oldies that were hosted by the businessman were Odartey Lamptey, Sarfo Gyamfi, Joe Debrah, Michael Osei, Coach Abdul Razak and Reverend Osei Kofi.
The setting and show of camaraderie among the host and the players created a surreal ambiance, with one of the guests describing his residence as ‘heaven on earth’. Indeed the building stands out as the most exquisite in the general area of Airport West, with a beautiful swimming pool and an ultra-modern gym, where renowned politicians, lawyers and sports men go to work out.
After hosting the Kotoko players, their Hearts counterparts took their turn at the ‘presidential palace’ of Mr Agyepong, CEO of Kenpong Group of Companies. He hosted them also to a dinner but denied them a reward because they were the losers in the two-leg tie.
Among the Hearts players were Stephen Appiah and Emmanuel Armah. Also present were Samuel Osei Kuffour, Tony Baffor, Samson Appiah and sports journalist and long-standing friend of Mr Agyepong, Kwabena Yeboah.
The former Kotoko chief commended the old players of both clubs and organizers of the game, stressing that it could inspire younger footballers to aspire to play for either Hearts or Kotoko.