Asante Kotoko’s unbeaten run under coach Maxwell Konadu came to a halt on Sunday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium as they bowed to a seventh minute lowed ground shot by former Ghana Premier League goalking Kofi Owusu.
Jonathan Attoquaye who assisted the goal after he dribbled past Empem Dacasta with ease was also on target in the opening fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium against Accra Hearts of Oak.
His match winner saw the sack of Kim Grant, the then coach of Hearts of Oak who had earlier promised to end the phobias ten years wait for the league title.
Kotoko started the game slowly and got punished under seven minutes as the Blues surprised them with the opener. Empem got booked in the 19th minute when he stamped on Kofi Owusu who was tormenting the Kotoko defense men.
The tempo of the game started boiling as Ahmed Adams’ pass found Stephen Amankona in a swift counter attack but he wasted too much time for Empem to recover who eventually blocked his shot.
In the 24th minute, winger Emmanuel Gyamfi dazzled through the defense of Chelsea as if they were non-existing but his feeble shot was deflected to corner kick.
Kotoko started keeping possession very well and got a free kick in an adventageous position after Sogne Yacouba was fouled but the free kick was wasted in the 30th minute.
Francis Twene was booked for a dangerous play on Kwame Adom Frimpong who replaced in-form Mudasiru who suffered a groin injury.
On the stroke of half time, Okrah hit the crossbar after he was found at the edge of the penalty box from a free kick In the 54th minute Imoro Ibrahim outrun his marker to produce a teasing cross into the box but Emmanuel Gyamfi missed the attempt to connect with his head.
Sixteen year old Matthew Anim Cudjoe replaced Collins Ameyaw who also pulled a hamstring injury on 56 minutes.
Naby Keita came on for Augustine Okra who had a quiet afternoon.
Empem was given a second yellow card from center referee Charles Bulu for an off the ball incident which resulted in a red card for what a lot of the people at the stadium felt the match officials go it wrong. The said incident was between Adom Frimpong and Jonathan Attoquaye.
This infuriated the kotoko faithful and they started throwing objects predominantly plastic bottled water with the assistant referee 2 as their target man.
The game was temporarily held for close to ten minutes.Security men finally calmed down the supporters and play resumed.
Kotoko kept pressing but never found the equalizer.
In the post match press conference, the Porcupine Warriors gaffer admitted saying “we lost to a better side”
”I accept the fact that we have lost the game. I would not blame it on anybody. We came in to do our best but I guess our best was not enough. I have told the players to move on,” Konadu added.
The results means Chelsea have now beaten Kotoko and Hearts on the road.
Meanwhile, a supposed Kotoko fan was shot by a policeman in the mixed zone of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium after some confrontation with the police.
By: Seth Ofori Acheampong Otec FM
