Kumasi Asante Kotoko defeated Dreams FC by a lone goal at the Theatre of Dreams, Dawu on Sunday in a Ghana Premier League week six clash.
The game which is arguably the best encounter in the Ghana Premier League so far this season saw both teams exhibiting great attacking football throughout the entire duration of the game.
The game started brightly with Kumasi Asante Kotoko having the first clear chance but William Opoku Mensah’s effort hit Masawudu Abdallah to the relief of the home side.
Dreams stepped up their game and started piling pressure on Kumasi Asante Kotoko with Ibrahim Issah and Agyenim Boateng exhibiting some delightful inter-positional play.
Kotoko looked threatening on the left side as youngster Ibrahim Moro made a couple of impressive runs into the Kotoko half of the field.
Dreams FC could have opened the scoring in the 13th minute but Maxwell Arthur fluffed his effort into the skies with Razak Abalora at his mercy after Victor Oduro had done all the damage on the right.
Another chance also fell to Issah Ibrahim in the 17th minute but the attacker shot straight at the advancing Razak Abalora to the disappointment of his colleagues.
Moro Ibrahim who had been tormenting the Dreams FC backline with his surging runs gave his side the lead in the 25th minute with a ferocious drive from 19 yards after William Opoku Mensah’s initial drive had been parried by goalkeeper Godfred Amoah unto his feet.
Dreams FC came into the game strongly again creating so many clear cut chances but their attackers comprising of Agyenim Boateng and Ibrahim Issah failed to convert them.
Kotoko begun to play a compact game at the back with Habib Mohammed being very key as he won almost all his battles with the Dreams FC defenders until the referee blew his whistle for the end of the game.
Dreams FC begun the second half taking control of the midfield but still lacked the cutting edge at the final third of the field where Emmanuel Ocran, Agyenim Boateng were virtually overpowered by the Kotoko back four.
Coach Winfred Dormon brought on Suleman Mohammed for Suleman Fahadu and Precious Boah for Agyenim Boateng as Dreams FC shifted to a flat 4-4-2 formation.
Razak Abalora pulled a point blank safe from an Ibrahim Issah header in the 68th minute as Kumasi Asante Kotoko in the game.
Kotoko interim coach Johnson Smith brought on Godfred Asiamah for Patrick Asmah who had received lots of knocks in his unusual midfield position.
Razak Abalora again came to the rescue of Asante Kotoko with a stupendous save after Victor Oduro had hit a goal-bound shot with the outside of his right foot.
Yussif Mubarik was brought in for Emmanuel Gyamfi to stabilize defence in the final eleven minutes of the game as Dreams FC pushed more men forward for in search of the equalizer.
The Kotoko back four remained resolute in the final minutes if the game as referee Rustum Senorgbe blew his whistle for the end of the game.
