Asante Kotoko had a shock of their life in match day 6 of the ongoing First Capital Plus Bank Premier league after they were stunned 1-0 at home by their fieriest rival Accra Hearts of Oak on Saturday at the Baba Yara sports stadium in Kumasi.
Mas-ud Didi Dramani made 4 changes to his starting XI that drew goalless away to Wa Allstars on match day 5 while Herbert Addo made 5 changes to his starting XI that were held 1-1 at home by Liberty Professionals.
It was a dazzling afternoon filled with passion as the supporters of the two teams shouted on top of their voices with Hearts of Oak supporters dominating the Amakom end of the stand with their rainbow colours as Kotoko the home side also came in their numbers.
Kotoko started the game as the strongest side by dictating the play of the game as Hearts of Oak resulted to the defensive system by guiding their lines. The Porcupine Warriors find a lot of spaces at the left-side of Hearts of Oak defense with Shaun October failing to pick his marker on two occasion but the crosses floated in by Prince Baffoe was dealt with by the central defensive pair of Ruben Gnagne and Philip Boampong.
The Phobians adapted the counter attacking football as they allow Kotoko to posses the ball but the final passes from Jordan Opoku to Ahmed Toure lacks direction. Hearts of Oak started warming themselves in the game which started with a Ollenu Ashittey’s surging run at the right-side of the midfield. On two occasions the referee in the middle turn down penalty calls from the home side.
The day of reckoning came when Selasi Adjei shakes the foundation of the Baba Yara sports stadium in the 8th minute after Eric Ofori Antwi came from his line to defend a through pass from Leonard Tawiah as he failed to get hold of the ball for Thomas Abbey to find Adjei who slotted home for the first goal.
Two minutes later Kotoko regrouped searching for the equalizer when Jordan Opoku 32 yards strike was parried away by Seidu Mutakilu who was in goal for the Phobians.
Hearts of Oak had the chance to double their lead but a swift defensive display by Abeiku Ainoonson safed the situation for the Porcupine Warriors. Didi Dramani played his first card in the 27th minute by introducing Sarfo Gyamfi for unperformed Prince Baffoe but the substitution yielded unfruitful results for the home side.
The tempo and the composure of the game kept on increasing with Kotoko winning the midfield battle but their final passes are nothing to write home about as the first half was brought to an end with the Phobians getting the bragging right of the first 45minutes with a goal advantage.
From the recess, Kotoko mounted an intense pressure on Hearts of Oak with a a lot of surging runs from the left side of Hearts of Oak with Sarfo Gyamfi getting his crosses into the Phobians central defensive area.
The best chance in the second half came in the 62nd minute when Jordan Opoku left foot strike on the edge of Hearts of Oak penalty box was saved by Seidu Mutawakilu.The Phobians also responded quickly with a swift attack but Selasi Adjei shot missed the post by inches.
Kotoko kept on asking question and Hearts of Oak kept on providing a good answer with a neat defending by dealing with all the dangerous ball to keep the scoreline to their advantage.
In the 78th minute mark the Phobians had a glorious opportunity to make it two after substitute Kwame Kizito who came on for Gilbert Fiamenyo beat the offside trap as he lift the ball over the bar.
The home side kept on fighting but the disjointed combination between their midfield and their attackers let them down with a lot of misplaced pass. Kojo Poku on two occasions for Kotoko riffled his shot over the bar as the clock ticked minute by minute after exhausting 5 minutes of time added on as the Phobians wins the day by a goal to nil to end their 3 years winless streak against Asante Kotoko.
Asante Kotoko XI – Eric Antwi, Amos Frimpong, Emmanuel Asante, Akwasi Acheampong, Abeiku Ainoonson, Jackson Owusu, Michael Akuffo, Jordan Opoku, Prince Baffoe, Obed Owsus,
Ahmed Toure
Hearts of Oak Starting XI- Seidu Mutawakilu, Owusu Bempah, Shaun October, Ruben Gngane(C), Philip Boampong, Leonard Tawiah, Richard Yamoah, Ollenu Ashittey, Thomas Abbey, Selasi Adjei, Gilbert Fiamenyo.
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