Followers of All Stars who thronged the Wa Park last Sunday to witness the 16th week Glo Premier League fixture between Wa All Stars and Asante Kotoko had a rude shock when the high expectation they had of their idol club crashed miserably as the Porcupine Warriors scored two fantastic goals – one in each half to start the second round of the competition on an extremely bright note.

Kotoko had stormed Wa in total unity with two buses – one carrying technical team and management members of the club including Kotoko Express reporters and the other filled with players of both the seniors side and the reserves teams.

Not even the breakdown of one of the buses immediately after arrival in the Upper West Regional capital could dampen the spirit of the team as management members with support from Dr. Charles Bukari and his group in Wa, moved heaven and earth to ensure that the bus got back on the road.

For most of the All Stars fans at the dusty Park, the fact that it was their former striker, Nathaniel Asamoah who scored both goals in clinical fashion to nail them deeply into the coffin worsened their already bad feeling.

Not even the player’s magnanimous sign of respect, not to celebrate after scoring the two goals in the 25th and 85th minutes respectively appeased them.

The well-positioned Nathaniel Asamoah first received the ball from Mohammed Sabato half way into the opponents’ territory and realising that the overconfident goalkeeper, Robert Dabuo was off his line, he sent a tenacious strike from about 20 metres which zoomed straight into the net. The goal by all standards was superb as it took many of the spectators including the goalkeeper himself by surprise because they erroneously anticipated that the shot will go off target.

The sizeable Kotoko supporters including the technical bench and management members of the club at the VIP Stand stood up in unison to celebrate but the goal scorer himself strangely was motionless amid all the cheers and applause even as some of his colleague joyfully rushed on him to start the celebration.

Nathaniel Asamoah’s reaction following his second goal was no different from the first. He later told this paper that his reaction was borne out of respect and appreciation of what his former club did for him.

At the time that Kotoko were reeling under intense pressure from the highly combative All Stars attack, and with five minutes left on the clock, Prince Anokye found Daniel Nii Adjei on the right flank. The midfielder, who started the game in an unusual left-wing role, raced into the goal area with the ball and controlled beautifully before finding Nathaniel Asamoah deep inside the box.

Nathaniel Asamoah also controlled well in the box and fired a mighty salvo on target to register the second goal, which came as a real reliever because Kotoko had been under too much pressure as a result of a wrong substitution by the technical team.

And for a team that lost seven matches in the first round, winning away from home against a tactically disciplined side such as All Stars, the performance and subsequent result came as no fluke.

They worked hard for it. Kotoko fared quite well in the first half particularly with centre back Awal Mohammed stealing the show with his timely and highly purposeful clearances.

Ohene Brenya used his strength and intelligence a great deal to contain the heat from All Stars’ marauding attackers so as Yaw Frimpong on the right side of defence.

However, Umar Gariba who was substituted after 62 minutes and Prince Anokye who played throughout the second half were not as perfect was one would have expected.

Michael Akuffo, Sabato Mohammed, Frank Boateng, Fatawu Mohammed and Daniel Nii Adjei were all splendid on the afternoon.

Goalkeeper Isaac Amoako as well proved to be not only Kotoko’s safest pair of hands at the moment but also one of the best in the country as he dished superb saves – a number of which would have easily beaten many goalkeepers and painfully given All Stars the equaliser.

The match officials – Referee Mercy Tagoe and her two assistants also controlled the game firmly.

The triumph by Kotoko currently puts them at 8th position from the previous 12th position. The team comes up Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs in a midweek clash at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. Coach Bogdan Korak has dropped hints of reinforcing his attack for this Wednesday game to get the best result.

Kotoko line-up: Isaac Amoako, Yaw Frimpong, Umar Gariba/Samed Oppong, Ohene Brenya, Awal Mohammed, Michael Akuffu, Sabato Mohammed, Frank Boateng/Afranie Yeboah, Nathaniel Asamoah, Fatawu Mohammed/Prince Anokye, Daniel Nii Adjei.