Kumasi Asante Kotoko has been celebrating a terrific victory over Aduana Stars from Friday evening. Kalo Ouattara was instrumental yet again with an outstanding strike, helping the porcupine warriors overcome Aduana stars with a 1-0 at the Baba Yara sports stadium hence recording back to back league victories.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko went into the game against Aduana stars full of hubris after picking up their first maximum points against Accra Lions on Monday night.
The game commenced on an emotional note, where both clubs paid homage to the deceased former First Lady of Ghana,Theresa Kuffour with a minute silence. Followed by eruption and roars from the home spectators, Kalo Ouattara’s attempt in the 1st minute brought the fans into life and set the tone for the occasion.
Kotoko dominated possession in the early exchanges of the game and played mesmerizing football with beautiful interplay at times.
Asante Kotoko’s Richmond Lamptey closed down Aduana goalkeeper, Yaw Ansah in the 22nd minute, forcing the latter to hurriedly put the ball into touch. The resulting throw-in was quickly effected by Lamptey into the feet of Peter Acquah who drove into the Aduana box before unleashing a shot which struck the arm of Aduana’s Derrick Afeson. The appeal of Asante Kotoko was however waved off instantaneously by referee, Mawuli Klu.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko continued to probe around Aduana’s penalty box and they were duly rewarded 10 minutes before the interval as Kalo Ouattara rose highest to nod home Richmond Lamptey’s out swinging delivery from close range into the net.
The resumption of the second half saw Aduana sit up in their performance in the game. Goakeeper for Kumasi Asante Kotoko,Danlad Ibrahim who was a spectator for the most part of the encounter was called into action when Aduana’s Godfred Wakii steered his headed attempt from Sam Adams corner kick on target but the shot stopper stood firm to repel Aduana’s effort in the 70th minute.
The men from Dormaa came close 2 minutes later to leveling the game but Gabriel Mensah’s attempt just skimmed wide off Danland’s right hand post.
Kotoko were weary of the threat posed by the Dormaa based side and looked to put the game beyond Aduana by grabbing a second score. Amidu Acquah was inches away from that as he produced a superb half volley that was thwarted by Aduana’s Yaw Ansah on the 73rd minute.
The second goal seemed elusive for the porcupines. However, the Kotoko fans were brought to the edge of their seats in the dying embers of the game when Richmond Lamptey was provided with a golden opportunity to double his side’s advantage before the full time whistle. Lamptey could only control the cross from the left and strike it tamely into the grasp of Aduana’s Yaw Ansah who was magnificent on the day to help the Dormaa based side end the game with a respectable score line.
Kotoko knocked the ball about comfortably to see out their slender 1-0 victory over Aduana FC.
The win sees Prosper Narteh Ogum’s side put an end to a run of 6 winless home games, as well as leapfrogging Nsoatreman FC into 2nd position ahead of Saturday’s games.
Manager of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Prosper Narteh Ogum was appreciative of the effort put in by his players in his post match conference after his side showed similar resilience against Hearts of Lions on Monday.
“Yeah, I’m proud of the boys for their consistent performance. The way we played in Accra, they’ve been able to reproduce the same performance.”
He made elaborations on the importance on Asante Kotoko’s next outing against Nations FC in the regional Derby.
“It’s more or less like a local derby. It’s going to be a very good match…then we will try and see how we will strategize to play [against] them.”
Meanwhile Head Coach of Aduana Stars, Yaw Acheampong was left devastated by the results as his side were slumped to their third away defeat of the season.
“[I’m] very disappointed, especially [with] the first half [performance]; to me it wasn’t a good game at all but I think we came back strongly in the second half knowing that we can equalize or do something but it couldn’t come on. I’m a little disappointed.”
Aduana stars head back to Dormaa to begin preparations for their next league game against Accra Great Olympics.
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Story by: Andrews Sefa Bamfo | universnews.ug.edu.gh
