B.A Stars to face Kotoko’s wrath

By: Bernard Nyankomago-Yeboah

Date: 18-01-11

There was high expectation last Sunday that Asante Kotoko would continue with their winning streak against Berekum Chelsea at the Golden City Park but the Porcupine Warriors ended up losing 1-0.

It was Kotoko’s first defeat in the second phase of the Glo Premier League, having beaten All Stars 2-0 at Wa and Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs 1-0 in Kumasi.

The defeat has among other things pulled Kotoko from the fifth to seventh position on the log. However, it has not discouraged or had any psychological effect on skipper Isaac Amoako and his colleagues.

Most of the Kotoko players who spoke with Kotoko Express after the game reiterated that they have put the defeat behind them.

They promised to make amends against B.A Stars on Wednesday at the Baba Yara Stadium and nail their opponents to the relegation zone without any favor.

“We are not disappointed. We did our best at Berekum just that luck eluded us. Our focus now is on B.A Stars. It is a game we must win to compensate our fans” stalwart defender, Prince Anokye said.

The Kotoko-B.A Stars encounter is indeed a game Kotoko supporters would like to see their darling club collecting maximum points after last Sunday’s disappointment.

The Brong Ahafo lads have not fared well in their nine outings since the competition started. Apart from the 1-1 draw they recorded against regional rivals, Arsenal, in the second week fixture, they have lost the remaining eight away games, scoring only three goals and conceding 18.

Korak and his boys should be able to capitalize on B A Stars’ poor away record and score a convincing victory to restore the smiles back on the faces of their fans.   

Goalkeepers trainer, Joe Carr, after the Chelsea-Kotoko match, also gave assurance that there would be massive improvement in Kotoko’s performance on Wednesday.

He said the technical staff would rectify whatever went wrong at Berekum and make sure the team bounces back to winning ways.

“We were confident that we would get good results at Berekum but that did not happen. We are not worried at all. We would go back to the drawing board and correct our mistakes to ensure better results in our next match,” Joe Carr emphasized.

The former Kotoko safest pair of hands further urged the supporters not to lose hope. “The technical staff is still building the team and by the time it takes full shape, every body would see the best out of Kotoko”.

“There is no need to lose hope. The kind of performance Kotoko has put up so far shows that the team has a bright future

“Most of the players are new and we are trying to blend them with the old guys. By the time they get to know themselves well, Kotoko would be difficult to beat” he observed applauding the new recruits for their commitment and hard work so far.   

Asked how he sees the performance of Isaac Amoako in the second round, he replied that it has been quite impressive but urged him not to lose focus as the competition progresses.

“Kotoko conceded 15 goals in the first round. But so far we have conceded only one in three games. That confirms that Amoako and the defenders are doing well”.

Explaining why Goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama has been missing from the team’s matches, Carr said “Soulama’s passport and working permit have expired. So he is now in Burkina Faso to renew his passport. After that he will return to Ghana to renew his working permit and continue his career”.