Asante Kotoko’s Serbian trainer, Bogdan
Korak, on Sunday evening sent tongues wagging throughout the
Baba Yara Sports Stadium when after 85 minutes of action in his
club’s trial match against All Stars, he ordered substitute
midfielder, David Ofei to leave the pitch.
It was difficult to establish why the coach
forced his player out of the game except to speculate that prior
to that David Ofei on a number of occasions failed in his bid to
pick some decent passes from Stephen Oduro on the right side of
attack.
Kotoko at that time, was down by one man but
were leading All Stars by a lone goal.
Angry reactions greeted the coach’s strange
decision to send the player out. The resentment of the
supporters – right down from the VIP Lounge to the popular stand
was unmistakably loud as majority of them vehemently condemned
Coach Bogdan Korak for what many of them termed as strange,
awkward and one that could discourage and de-motivate the
players.
The supporters’ rage forced police officers
at the stadium to immediately rush to the mixed zone area after
the game, where reporters from various media houses had gathered
to conduct interviews and probably seek explanations to why
Coach Bogdan Korak forced David Ofei out of the match.
The 51-year-old coach came out of the
changing room unaware of the fans’ fury outside. He was in fact
willing to speak to journalists who had found their way to the
corridor of the changing room.
However, the Administrative Manager of the
club, Benjamin Nti in collaboration with the Police prevented
the Serbian trainer from granting any interview to the media.
While inside the mixed zone, some spectators
could be heard from the outside, furiously condemning the
actions of the coach.
Interestingly when the police escorted the
Serbian to his car parked just in front of the mixed zone, most
of the supporters cheered him, giving him a hefty round of
applause as he sat comfortably in his car.
All those dramatic events aside, it is worth
noting that the Kotoko-All Stars match did not produce many
thrills as earlier on anticipated.
The Porcupine Warriors took the lead in the
17th minute through Michael Akuffu who remarkably connected home
an excellent Prince Anokye cross sent the left side of attack,
from the middle of the box.
Anokye, who captained the team, however
lasted only 35 minutes on the field because he was sent off
following his brute and unfair challenge on Ebenezer Adjei.
Referee G. K. Manu wasted no time to punish
the Kotoko centre back, who this time started the game as a
lateral defender and was faring well until he was given the
marching off orders.
Although Kotoko fielded virtually the same
side that has played in their previous friendly matches, All
Stars’ team did not have some of their key players.
The notable absentee being goalkeeper Robert
Dabuo. Nonetheless the Upper West Regional side gave Kotoko a
fairly strong opposition.
The visitors played well in defence and
midfield. They however lacked the necessary aggression and bite
upfront to bring the best out goalkeeper Soulama Abdoulaye who
pulled a superb save in the 7th minute to deny All Stars what
would have been a deserved early lead.
The match not surprisingly offered the
technical teams of the two teams the chance to experiment
players.
As a result more than ten substitutions were
conducted in the second half. Whereas Kotoko made six of
substitutions, All Stars replaced five of their players.
For Kotoko Fatawu Mohammed, Afranie Yeboah,
Frank Boateng, Daniel Nii Adjei, Alex Asamoah and lone goal
scorer, Michael Akuffu went out for Louis Quainoo, Stephen
Oduro, David Ofei, Obeng Regan, Nafiu Iddrisu and Haruna Ganiyu.
The Porcupine Warriors strung a number of
accurate passes and were generally well organised in Sunday’s
trial match is an undisputable point but it has to be added
strongly that Coach Bogdan Korak and his team must play better,
create chances with ease and be more purposeful upfront when the
Glo Premier League resumes.
Certainly Coach Bogdan Korak and his charges
have got to be more convincing than followers of the club have
seen in all the trial matches.
Kotoko line-up: Soulama Abdoulaye, Yaw Frimpong, Prince
Anokye, John Kuffour, Ohene Brenya, Afranie Yeboah/Stephen
Oduro, Daniel Nii Adjei/Obeng Regan, Frank Boateng/David Ofei,
Michael Akuffu/Haruna Ganiyu, Fatawu Mohammed/Louis Quainoo,
Alex Asamoah/Nafiu Iddrisu.
All
Stars line-up: David Dadzie, Wahid Mumuni, Joshua Otoo,
Richard Acquah, Maxwel Addai, Seidu Salifu, Frank Sarfo Gyamfi,
Ebenezer Adjei, Abdulai Alhassan Weah, Samuel Boateng, Godfred
Kwame Gyasi.
