Head coach of Asante Kotoko, Prince Yaw Owusu, has openly criticised his players following their disappointing defeat to FC Samartex 1996 on matchday 28 of the Ghana Premier League.
The Porcupine Warriors suffered a setback at the Baba Yara Stadium on Tuesday in a tightly contested fixture that had earlier been interrupted and abandoned due to heavy rainfall with the score level at 0-0.
However, after the restart, Samartex returned with greater urgency and took full control of the game.
Christian Agyenim Boateng broke the deadlock for the visitors before Emmanuel Essien doubled their advantage, putting Kotoko on the back foot. The home side managed a late response through Albert Amoah, but it was only a consolation as Samartex held firm to secure all three points.
Speaking after the match, Owusu expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance.
“It was quite obvious, and I felt really bad after the game,” he said. “The signs were there from yesterday, and things didn’t go the way we had planned. I could see it coming and tried to prevent it, but I couldn’t.”
When pressed on what went wrong, he added bluntly: “The players were not tactically disciplined.”
The result lifts Samartex into sixth place on the league table, boosting their push for a strong finish as the season heads into its decisive phase.
Meanwhile, Kotoko remain fourth on 43 points after 28 matches, missing a crucial opportunity to close the gap on leaders Bibiani Gold Stars. Medeama SC and Accra Hearts of Oak currently occupy second and third place respectively.
