We Gave Our All Against Hasaacas - Duncan

The head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, David Duncan said his side’s 1-0 win was a hard fought result.

The Porcupine Warriors laboured all evening before securing their first win of the season against Sekondi Hasaacas at the Baba Yara sports stadium.

A late second half finish courtesy of Kwame Boateng ended the record premier league champions winless run this season, and Duncan eulogised the team afterwards.

“We gave it everything — aggression, intensity, raising the tempo. The boys gave it everything despite the recent setbacks,” David Duncan told Super Sport after th game.

“Under normal circumstances,  the pressure under which the were boys were supposed to be playing could have made it difficult for them, but they composed themselves quite well, showed character in the midst of when goals seem not to be coming.

“They probed until the goal came; kudos to the team. They showed that they can up their game even under pressure.”

The win for Kotoko lifts them to 12th on the league table temporarily with 5 points.

We Gave Our All Against Hasaacas - Duncan

GPL Report: Kotoko End Barren Run

Kumasi Asante Kotoko ended their classless season on Friday night when they hosted Sekondi Hasaacas.

Kwame Boateng rose when it mattered most to save the job of David Duncan and earned the team first winning bonuses of the season.

He ended brilliant move started by Stephen Nyarko from right flank, dummying Kingsley Adjei before slotting the ball beyond the reach of the outstanding George Owu on 71 minutes.

Sekondi Hasaacas sat at the back for most part of the game, barely marking incursions forward to hurt Kotoko. The game plan of Basigi allowed the Porcupine Warriors to dictate the proceedings from the onset to their barren run in the season.

The first glorious opportunity fell the way of Dauda Mohammed who returned into the line in place of Obed Owusu.

The 19-year-old failed to to beat the ever brilliant George Owu from close. The former Black Stars goalkeeper saved with his feet to keep to frustrate David Duncan’s boys.

It was all Kotoko covering the grasses of the Baba Yara sports stadium and they did so brilliantly, but lacked the cutting edge to find the back of the net.

The Porcupine Warriors continued from where they left before recess, knocking at the door of Hasaacas. The Takoradi-based club remained happy to soak the pressure.

They however struggled to beat George Owu who muffled their strikes at goal. He pulled off massive save to deny  Theophilous Nyame’s driving header from Edwin Frimpong’s cross, but five minutes later, the deadlock was broken.

Stephen Nyarko strolled the ball onto the path of Dauda Mohammed, the youngster found Kwame Boateng who was in better position, and he made no mistake. He dummied his marker Kingsley Adjei and stroke the  ball low into net.

Hasaacas responded to the set back and took the game to the record premeir league champions, but they backline had all the answers. Delayed tactics were adopted by Asante Kotoko to frustrate Hasaacas and they succeeded– keeping their record of never loosing a Friday game at the Baba Yara sports stadium intact, whilst easing the pressure and earning the team winning bonuses.

 

GPL Report: Kotoko End Barren Run

Asante Kotoko"s Kwame Boateng Is Best Player Of G-6 Invitational Tournament

Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s striker Kwame Boateng has been voted the Best Player of the 2016 G-6 Invitational Tournament held at the Sekondi Essipong stadium.

The former Accra Great Olympics striker had a wonderful tournament and played in all three matches of Kotoko.

He also emerged as the joint top goal scorer of the tournament  with Aduana Stars Yahaya Mohammed 2 goals in the three matches played.

Boateng, it will be recalled came off the bench in Kotoko’s first match against Berekum Chelsea to score his side’s 3rd goal. He was a constant thorn in the flesh of the defenders throughout the tournament, an action that saw him being fouled on many occasions.

He scored in his first two matches against Chelsea and Ashgold but due to an injury he sustained in the final match, he had to be substituted earlier on in the game.

Kwame Boateng receiving his television from an official of headline sponsors of the tournament First Trust Savings and Loans

For his prize, he received a 32-inch plasma television as well as a plaque from the headline sponsors of the tournament First Trust Savings and Loans.

Asante Kotoko"s Kwame Boateng Is Best Player Of G-6 Invitational Tournament

Asante Kotoko Pip Aduana Stars 1-0 To Win G-6 Invitational Tournament

Kumasi Asante Kotoko have won the 2016 Firs Trust Savings and Loans G-6 Invitational Tournament playec at the Sekondi Essipong stadium.

A lone goal by Burkinabe international, Halipha Sedogo in the 47th minute was enough to see the ‘Porcupine Warriors’ walk away with the giant trophy at stake.

Both team came into the final match having won their respective groups. Kotoko beat Berekum Chelsea 3-1 in their first match played on Friday and drew 1-1 with Ashantigold on Saturday.

Aduana Stars on the other hand drew goalless with Accra Hearts of Oak on Thursday before thrashing SC Medeama 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.

Coincidentally, both Aduana and Kotoko had players gunning for the goalking award with Yahaya Mohammed and Kwame Boateng on two goals each. Unfortunately, none of them could score in the final game.

Aduana Stars made a couple of changes to the team that walloped SC Medeama on Saturday. The likes of Yahaya Mohammed and Richard Mpong were dropped to the bench, an action the coach must be regretting now looking at the impact of the duo when they later came on in the second half.

Coach Michael Osei of Kotoko maintained the same team that drew 1-1 with Ashgold.

The game, as expcted commenced on a high note with both teams gtting at eachother. Indeed it was a livly game by all standards as they fans chered very move by both teams.

The game was 2 minutes old when Aduana Stars were awarded a penalty after Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Ofori Antwi was adjueged to have fouled Daniel Darkwa in the penalty box.

Captain Godfred Saka elected himself to take the kick, but his shot was parried back into play by Kotoko goalkeeper Ofori Antwi, much to the delight of theKotoko fans.

Tyhe game sprung to life since then with end to end action from both teams. Asante Kotoko were forced into making their first substitution of the day in the 32nd minute after striker Kwame Boateng was rplaced by Michael Yeboah.

It looked like a blow to the Kotoko team judging from his qualities as a striker and that fact that he was gunning for the goal king award, but the quality of the Kotoko team made it impossible to see that he want part of the game.

The first half ended goalless.

Back from recess both teams continued from where they left off, with Kotoko slightly on top in terms of ball possession. And it came as little surprise when they scord the first goal of the game, an action that later turnd out to be the match winner.

Halipha Sedogo recive a pass from Elvis Amoh and the Burkinabe international raced into the Aduana Stars penalty box. He was met by s astiff challenge by defender Yakubu Mohammed and both players were shrugged eachother for the ball as they both fell to the ground.

Centre referee Issaka Afful whistld for a penalty an action the Aduana players protested, but th referee stood his grounds.

Halipha Sedogo pickd himself up and took the kick, sending goalkeeper Joseph Addo the wrong way. 1-0 to Kotoko with 47 minutes played.

Kotoko then picked up the momentum and pilled more pressure on Aduana who were by then in sixes and sevens. On one of such occassions defender Yakubu Mohammed was given a yellow card as he hacked down Kotoko’s Stephen Nyarko in a one on one situation.

Aduana thn brought on Yahaya Mohammed for Sam Adams in the 55th minute and followed it up with another change in the 66th minute as Richard Mpong came on for Elvis Opoku. Maxwell Frimpong also made way for Sampson Boampong Wirekoh in the 82nd minute.

Kotoko also came up with their own substitution in the 72nd minute. Reagan Gyeda came on for the goal scorer Halipha Sedogo. Mandela Azeko also came on for Elvis Amoh.

It was a nervy end to the game as Aduana Stars threw more men forward in search of the equalizr, one that will force the game into penalties. But try as they did they couldnt gert the goal the wanted.

Kotoko thus became the first Club to win the G-6 Invitational Tournament, something the organizers have mentioned has come to stay.

Asante Kotoko Pip Aduana Stars 1-0 To Win G-6 Invitational Tournament

G-6: Kotoko"s Kwame Boateng Wins Man-Of-The-Match Award Against Ashgold

For his sterling performances as well as scoring the only goal for his side, Asante Kotoko striker Kwame Boateng was voted the man of the match against Ashantigold on Saturday in the match day 3 of the G-6 tournament.

Boateng it would be recalledcame off thye bench to score Kotoko’s 3rd goal in Friday’s match against Berekum Chelsea.

He made the starting XI against Ashgold and throughout the game, was a delight to watch a he became a thorn in the flesh of the Ashgold defenders most of whom resorted to bad tackles on him.

Together with other two strikers of Kotoko, Elvis Amoh and Halipha Sedogo was very good making life quite difficult for the Ashgold defenders.

Together Aduana Stars striker Yahaya Mohammed, Kwame Boateng leads the goalking table with 2 goals.

He received a plaque from the headline sponsors of the tournament First Trust Savings and Loans.

G-6: Kotoko"s Kwame Boateng Wins Man-Of-The-Match Award Against Ashgold

G-6: Asante Kotoko Hold Ashantigold 1-1 To Qualify For Finals

Kumasi Asante Kotoko survived a last minute scare from Ashgold to qualify to the finals of the 2016 G-6 Invitational Tournament played at the Essipong stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Prior to the game, Kotoko had beaten Brekum Chelsea 3-1 on Friday afternoon and had one foot in the finals, provided they can claw at least a draw against and Ashgold side that drew with Chelsea on Thursday.

The Kotoko starting XI that played in the first match against Chelsea on Friday is on its way to Libya to play in an international friendly match, and as such paraded an entirely different team with only goalkeeper Richard Ofori and Edwin Tuffour Frimpong maintaining their positions in the starting XI, and were led by assistant coach Michael Osei.

Ashantigold on the other hand, paraded almost the same players that drew goalless with Berekum Chelsea in match day one of the competition.

When the game finally commenced it was Kotoko who showed signs of wanting to carry the day as they pinned their opponents in their own half for a considerable amount of time.

In the 9th minute, Asante Kotoko get the first real chance of the game an action that fell to Elvis Amoh, but the lanky striker wasted too much time trying to get his acts together. When he finally managed to get a shot in, it was cleared off the line by an Ashgold defender.

Ashgold accepted the challenge and mounted their own series of attacks. In the 15th minute, they  nearly scored the opener, but Isaac Amoah couldn’t connect to a swift cross by Emmanuel Osei.

Just when Ashgold were beginning to dream again, they suffered a sucker punch as Kotoko grabbed the openr in the 19th minute.

The goal came out of nothing. A back pass from midfielder Eric Opoku found Desmond Agbekpornu but the defender could not control the pass. By then Kotoko striker Kwame Boateng was lurking in his shadows and pounced on the loose ball to coolly slot home the first goal.

There was nothing goalkeeper Fatau Dauda could have done about it because none of them expected it.

Both teams failed to add to the goal tally till the end of the first half, but it was Ashgold who effected the first change of the game. Alhassan Nuhu came off for Francis Adjei

Back from recess, both teams thrilled the fans to good end to end football and by far it was Ashgold where won most of the ball possession but failed to score any of the many chances they managed to create.

Frustration set in for the Ashgold players as they failed to score. On on of those many occasions, defender Augustine Sefa hacked down Kotoko striker Elvis Amoh and that warranted his exit. He was red carded in the 88th minute.

Coach Bashir Hayford’s men kept fighting and in the 93rd minute grabbed the equalizer through Hudu Yakubu.

It was a nervy finish, but Kotoko managed to hold their heads high till the blast of the final whistle.

They will play in the finals against Aduana Stars who earlier in the day, cut SC Medeama to size with a 3-0 win.

G-6: Asante Kotoko Hold Ashantigold 1-1 To Qualify For Finals