By: David Kyei

Date: 18-08-11

Players of Fantabulous Asante Kotoko who are on a training tour here in Serbia continue to make favourable headlines as their performances are attracting a large number of football agents.

Kotoko as at last Monday had so far played five matches in Serbia and the players are being monitored from all angles by agents and scouts.

Until last Sunday morning’s match in which Kotoko sweetly avenged the defeat they suffered at the hands of F.K Sovojno by beating them 2-0, interest had been expressed in ten players with five of them almost through with an arrangement to give them out of a free loan to some Serbia clubs.

After Sunday morning’s match, the number of players who have attracted attention had risen to 12 with hard tackling Afranie Yeboah and aerial-ball specialist, John Kufour being the latest additions.

Not only were the two instrumental in Kotoko’s demolition of F.K Sovojno but also played so well.

John Kufour for instance had been noted for his aerial ball situation expertise, but on the Sunday morning, he added exceptional footwork to his repertoire.

Though Afranie came on as a substitute for Harif Mohamed, he impressed so much that it was not a surprise that he is being targeted by scouts.

Per the information available to Kotoko Express, the two players have received a strong commendation from some Polish scouts who at the invitation of the Executive Chairman, had driven all the way from their country to watch the match.

With the interest expressed, it will not be too long for negotiations to begin on the two players.

On the match itself Kotoko went into it with a serious sense of determination and the desire to avenge the defeat that they suffered at the hands of the Serbian side. Kotoko players had insisted after the first match that they lost that their defeat could be attributed to jet lag and so asked for a second chance to play them.

Parading the same team that beat Kotoko 4-2 earlier in the week, the Serbians launched an immediate attack hoping to use their trump card, the pull-outs, to advantage but Kotoko players had learnt a good lesson from the first match and so stood frim.

For the duration of the match, Sevojno was able to make only two pull outs but both were cleared out of danger.

The game became a fight for the control of the midfield and this battle the Kotoko midfield made of Frank Boateng, Obeng Reagan and David Ofei masterly won.

Back from recess, Coach Korak made five substitutions and these changed the face of the game with Kotoko having the urge.

Kotoko took the lead in the 58^th minute when substitute Afranie Yeboah successfully challenged and won possession. The goal brought relief to Kotoko who started playing the “Samba” style of play with each of the players exhibiting their skills to the sparse crowd including scouts and agents.

Kotoko increased the tally when Rasta-haired Gershon Akuffu took charge from the left of defence, dribbled everyone on his path and gave a long pass into the path of oncoming Amos Frimpong to zoom in a spectacular shot from 35 metres.

The beauty of the build up to the goal and the perfect finish got the crowd on its feet.

 In the afternoon, Kotoko hosted Slobodan Caca (pronounced ‘Chacha’) in the second match of the day and also won by 1-0.

The match was tough as promised by the officials of Virtus International but at the end of it all, an Ahmed Toure pressure on a Caca defender compelled him to head  home an own  goal.

Kotoko team against Sovojno: Soulama Abdoulaye/Isaac Amoako, Sabato Mohamed, Louis Quainoo, John Kufour, Owusu Ansah Kontoh, Reagan Obeng/Kwame Boateng, Frank Boateng/Gershon Akuffu, David Ofei, Prince Domfeh/Amos Frimpong, Harif Mohamed/Afranie Yeboah & Nafiu Idrissu (Captain).

Kotoko team against Slobodan Caca: Isaac Amoako/Soulama Abdoulaye, Yaw Frimpong/Amos Frimpong, Prince Anokye/Gershon Akuffu, Ohene Brenya, Awal Mohamed, Stephen Oduro/Prince Domfeh, Daniel Nii Adjei/Obeng Reagan, Michael Akuffu/Afranie Yeboah, Nathaniel Asamoah & Ahmed Toure.