It was billed to be a high profile game
given the strength of the opposition and also the caliber of
spectators that were expected to be at the Baba Yara Sports
Stadium.
Although the pre-match excitement was big,
it all turned into disappointment in the end as Kumasi Asante
Kotoko lost 2-3 to Africa Sports of Cote
d’Ivoire
in Sunday’s friendly international match.
The high-powered dignitaries including the
Owner and Life Patron of the club, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei
Tutu II, dressed in an alluring black suit arrived with his
entourage to rapturous cheers and applause from the sizeable
crowd minutes before kickoff.
Amidst the earsplitting standing ovation,
Nana and his entourage moved up to the VVIP Lounge. The
Asantehene along with Executive Chairman Dr. K. K. Sarpong,
former Kotoko chairman Simms Kofi Mensah and a host of other
notable personalities later inspected the two teams on the
pitch.
Nana as well did the ceremonial kickoff,
making the atmosphere at the stadium more charged. In the VIP
Lounge was also former Kotoko chairman, Sylvester Asare Owusu;
former Legal Affairs Director, Lawyer Kwame Boafo; former Team
Manager, Opoku Afriyie including a number of past and present
Kotoko managers.
The stage was then set for Wa based Referee
Seidu Bomison to signal the two teams into action.
When the game started, any uninitiated
football fan could mistakenly see Africa Sports as Kotoko
because they donned an all red outfit against Kotoko’s white
apparel.
Ahmed Toure drew first blood for Kotoko when
he soared high above the towering Africa Sports defence to
powerfully head home a Michael Akuffu free kick in the 24th
minute of the game.
Ahmed Toure doubled the lead eight minutes
later when he courageously overpowered defender, Gogoua Aboossy
Cedric in a fierce challenge before shooting the ball
excellently on target from the edge of the box.
It was a courageous effort and indeed an
outstanding show of strength by Ahmed Toure because despite
appearing smaller in stature than his opponent, he managed to
gain control of the ball and got his final delivery spot on.
That confident lead by Kotoko sent the
spectators singing and chanting for more goals but the fabulous
lads unfortunately lost ground to the Ivorians six minutes after
the interval, causing the them to reduce the two-goal deficit to
one, through Nigerian striker Patrick Friday Eze who capitalised
a loose marking in midfield to pick the ball and hit the target
right.
Africa Sports went on to dominate the game.
They won almost every ball in midfield and threatened to fetch
the equaliser.
Their threats created frightening moments
for the home fans and the situation persisted throughout the
second half because Kotoko’s counter-plan did not work to
perfection.
The Ivorians kept the ball high and also
used their strength to literally bully the Porcupines to grab
two more goals in the 67th and 69th minutes respectively through
substitute striker, Blagnon Goue F. Noel.
Seven continuous substitutions by Coach
Bogdan Korak, which saw Samed Oppong, Haruna Ganiyu, Stephen
Oduro, Alex Asamoah, Obeng Regan and Prince Boateng replacing
Afranie Yeboah, Daniel Nii Adjei, Frank Boateng, Nathaniel
Asamoah and Yaw Frimpong respectively, and this stabilised
Kotoko’s midfield.
The considerably good stability could
however not provide the Alex Asamoah-led attack the necessary
ammunition to cut open well-organised Africa Sports’ defence.
Stephen Oduro successfully outwitted his markers with the
finesse he has been known for but then the Ivorians would not
lose guard at the back. Africa Sports’ strength in aerial
challenges was greater and also to the disadvantage to Kotoko
whose passes and organisation upfront were fraught with
unpardonable mistakes.
The Ivoirians surged forward with purpose
and it showed glaringly that Kotoko could simply not match their
strength. At the end of proceedings the players of the two teams
hugged each other and took memorable photographs whereas the
home fans discussed the performance of Kotoko with the hope that
things improve by the time the Glo Premier League resumes.
Kotoko line-up: George
Arthur, Yaw Frimpong, Gershon Akuffu, Ohene Brenya, Prince
Anokye, Daniel Nii Adjei, Afranie Yeboah, Frank Boateng, Michael
Akuffu, Ahmed Toure, Alex Asamoah.
Africa Sports line-up:
Ahouchi A. Jean Vincent, Ben Adama, Boti
Armand, Gogoua A. Cedric, Ngouan Konan Ruffin, Camara N. Herman,
Kouame Koffi Christian, Quattara Baba Salia, Ifabiyi Tayo, Eze
Friday Patrick, Kouakou Serge Pacome.
