It was billed to be a thrilling encounter
but not many spectators at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium expected
Aduana Stars to give Kumasi Asante Kotoko such a tough challenge
in their MTN FA Cup 1/16th stage clash on Wednesday evening.
The Dormaa boys were first to find the net
but Kotoko cancelled the deficit before half time and went up
shortly after resumption only to surrender their lead eight
minutes from regulation time.
It took a marathon penalty kicks – perhaps
never witnessed in the history of the FA Cup competition to see
the Porcupine Warriors scaling over the herculean Aduana Stars
wall in front of a sizeable anxious home supporters.
At the end of the heartbreaking and grueling
shootout, Kotoko scored 11 out of 13 whereas Aduana Stars scored
10 also out of 13..
Goalkeeper and skipper Isaac Amoako took two
of the penalties on the evening but he missed his second attempt
which was Kotoko’s 12th kick. It took Mohammed Awal’s second
which was Kotoko’s 13th attempt on the night to seal the hard
fought 11-10 win on penalties after the 2-2 score line at the
end of 90 minutes.
The Porcupines could have easily saved
themselves and their apprehensive fans the emotionally gripping
shootout had they maintained their composure at the closing
stages of proceedings.
A huge sigh of relief was felt throughout
the stadium when Asiedu Samuel who had scored in the first round
of the shootout missed Aduana Stars’ last kick.
Moments earlier, the home crowd had
jubilated uncontrollably over goalkeeper Celestine Damptey’s
kick which missed the target. Thus when defender Awal Mohammed
shot home for Kotoko, the loud euphoria was justifiable and
natural too.
In regulation time, unmarked Daniel Darkwa
put Aduana Stars ahead eight minutes into the game when he shot
home from the right side of the goal area after pouncing on a
clever pass from the opposite direction.
The goal was an early setback for Kotoko.
However, they did not despair and attacked incessantly to draw
level 10 minutes before the interval through striker Ahmed Toure
who capitalized on a defensive slip to send home a perfect
grounder.
Playing with great determination, Kotoko on
numerous occasions came close to scoring yet never hit the
target right until the 67th minute when Fatawu Mohammed picked a
good pass from Ahmed Toure midway into Aduana Stars’ territory.
Goalkeeper Celestine Damptey was mistakenly off his mark and
totally beaten with two of his defenders taking cover for him.
Fatawu brilliantly outwitted one of the defenders in the box
before firing home powerfully to make it 2-1.
Victory for Kotoko at this time was close
and highly anticipated but not when the visitors equalised and
effectively truncated Kotoko hopes of avoiding the lottery known
as penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Isaac Amoako who came way outside
his area to save a situation could not return in good time,
prompting an Aduana player who had full possession of the ball
to lift the ball high into the goal area for Alex Aryee to head
home the equalizer.
From
then on Aduana Stars had better of the exchanges. Substitutions
by both teams strengthened their strategy but none could grab
the vital third goal. John Kuffour was exceptional at the back.
He intercepted many dangerous aerial balls – in essence putting
his supreme aerial advantage to good use.
His counterpart, Awal Mohammed was as well
remarkable with Prince Anokye and Yaw Frimpong providing ample
support in lateral defence.
Ahmed Toure again was the strong man in
Kotoko’s attack. Alex Asamoah’s contribution once more was not
that constructive and was replaced by Coach Bogdan Korak.
Potent and hard working midfielders Fatawu
Mohammed and Daniel Nii Adjei were also pulled out for Edward
Affum and Nafiu Iddrisu. On the whole, Kotoko showed great
mental strength and attitude to douse the raging fire in Aduana
Stars.
Michael Akuffu, Frank Boateng, Nafiu Iddrisu,
Awal Mohammed (2), Isaac Amoako (2), Stephen Oduro, Prince
Anokye, Yaw Frimpong, Edward Afum and John Kuffour scored their
penalty kicks whereas Ahmed Toure who was first to take the
kick, shot feebly into the waiting hands of the Aduana goalie.
For Aduana Stars Samuel Aseidu (2), Godfred
Saka, Akuoku Emmanuel, Celestine Damptey, Alex Aryee, Ashmond
Asamoah, Seth Opare, Wahab Adams, Nurudeen Ali, Emmanuel Ansong
first scored before Celestine Damptey, Ashmond Asamoah and
Samuel Asiedu their second attempts.
Kotoko line-up: Isaac Amoako, Yaw Frimpong, Prince Anokye,
Awal Mohammed, John Kuffour, Michael Akuffu, Daniel Nii
Adjei/Nafiu Iddrisu, Frank Boateng, Alex Asamoah/Stephen Oduro,
Ahmed Toure, Fatawu Mohammed/Edward Afum.
Aduana Stars: Celestine Damptey, Godfred Saka, Emmanuel
Ansong, Akuoku Emmanuel, Wahab Adams, Anthony Tawiah, Joseph
Bentil/Seth Opare, Asiedu Samuel, Kwame Frimpong/Nurudeen Ali,
Alex Aryee, Daniel Darkwah.
