Asante Kotoko registered their first win of the Ghana Premier League this season. The Porcupine Warriors proved too strong for The Royals in Friday’s matchweek five tie at the Accra Sports Stadium. Asamoah Gyan’s Legon Cities lost 1-0 against the Kumasi-based club.
Osman Ibrahim’s 11th-minute effort handed the Porcupine Warriors all three points over The Royals. They who launched Ghana legend Gyan in the second half in a desperate attempt for an equaliser.
The matchday five win has catapulted Maxwell Konadu’s outfit to fourth on the league table.
Legon, who played under new coach Bashir Hayford for the first time, sit only two points above the relegation zone. As they continue their search for a first win of the season.
Konadu welcomed centre-back Habib Mohammed back into his starting line-up while handing a debut to former Atalanta and Ghana U-20 left-back Patrick Asmah.
Against speculations of a first starting spot for October signing Gyan, new Legon coach Hayford left the former Sunderland and Udinese forward on the bench. He instead put faith in Raphael Ocloo to lead the attack.
After Kwame Opoku sent a rebound just wide, Kotoko broke the deadlock in the 10th minute through Ibrahim. He who beat Legon goalkeeper Fatau Dauda shooting from inside the 18-box after being picked out by Godfred Asiamah.
The goalscorer’s night turned from joy to misery as the game approached half-time. Because he had to abandon the game after sustaining an injury.
Just back from the break, Legon almost found an equaliser when Ocloo was put through one-on-one with Kotoko goalkeeper Kwame Baah. But the striker saw his shot saved.
Nine minutes later, Baah was again on hand to prevent an equaliser. As he reacted well to palm away a David Cudjoe first-time shot before Joseph Adjei’s rebound went off target.
In the 70th minute, Kotoko’s Evans Adomako shot over the bar from dangerous position. Before Baah coolly collected Gyan’s free-kick at the other end. The 35-year-old entered into the game on the hour-mark.
Gyamfi had an opportunity to consolidate Kotoko’s lead seven minutes to full-time. But his effort, having sprinted into the opposition box after benefiting from a quickly-taken free-kick, proved no trouble for goalkeeper Dauda. He who ended the game as the official Man of the Match.
Gyan came close to joining Kotoko during the transfer window. But he ditched the Porcupine Warriors at the last hour in favour of Legon.