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 Coach Smith lauds players’ creativity
By: Jerome Otchere
Posted: 3rd March 2008
Assistant Coach Johnson Smith who led Kotoko to rout Togolese club and 2008 CAF African Champions League campaigners, Asko De Kara 5-0 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last Saturday says the players’ creativity accounted for the impressive victory.
Coach Smith said the team building process was progressing. He said Kotoko was yet to reach its highest point in terms of brilliance on the pitch. “Our performance was good. The team is still being built. We are not done. We worked on their creativity. Everybody played well. We have had an around team but there is still some work to be done” the coach point out.
He said by the time Kotoko reached its apex limit, the players’ creativity would simply be admirable. In view of the rescheduling of the Hearts of Oak-Asante Kotoko encounter at the Ohene Djan Stadium, there was no league action for the Porcupine Warriors over the weekend but to keep the team active, Asko De Kara were invited for a friendly international match.
 The Togolese champions were brilliant yet succumbed to an embarrassing 5-0 defeat. Their Coach Palanga Kolu was full of praise for Kotoko. “You have quite a young team. The players are good and I love their play” he said. Asko De Kaka beaten Cameroonian champions 3-1 at home in a Champions League qualifier two weeks ago but against Kotoko on Saturday they could not stand the heat despite exhibiting an excellent passing game.
Kotoko proved to be the best team in Ghana at the moment showcasing an organised attacking play to cause the demolition. “It was not as if the Togolese team was weak” said Director of Communications Kwame Baah-Nuakoh. “They showed immense brilliance. Kotoko marked them throughout and taught beautiful lessons in scoring goals” Kwame continued.
Leading goal scorer Eric Bekoe was absent. He was not even on the substitution list. However Kwadwo Poku scored a hat trick. Jordan Opoku and Nana Arhin-Duah also fetched a goal each. The Porcupine Warriors confirmed that they were a formidable side even with the absence hit man Eric Bekoe and Coach Bashir Hayford who had sought permission to be off that day.
Assistant Johnson Smith aptly directed affairs from the bench with outmost perfection. Soulama Abdoulaye remained unbeatable in post. He made splendid interventions not least Vincent Tchalla’s 40th minute goal-bound shot which he stopped with his left foot despite sprawling.
Samuel Inkoom, Harrison Afful, Richard Manu and Prince Anokye were on guard at the rear with Osei Kwame Junior in front of them. Inkoom’s pace on the right was admirable. He cut deep into Asko De Kara’s defence to send sharp crosses though none resulted in a goal. Harrison Afful did not use his pace much but still proved too strong to be checked by his markers.
Richard Manu and Prince Anokye combined effectively. They provided maximum cover for the team. Francis Akwaffo was not on the flanks. He operated in the middle helping Daniel Nii Adjei and Jordan Opoku who all glittered with the latter capping his impressive performance with a goal in the 51st minute. Kwadwo Poku and Kwabena Yaro led the attack before Nana Arhin-Duah was introduced into the game. Kwadwo Poku emerged as the best attacker scoring three beautiful goals before Arhin-Duah’s 92nd minute strike.
Kwadwo Poku’s first goal came in the 16th minute when he outran his marker with a pass from Daniel Nii Adjei to strike hard into left corner of the post. Despite lead striker Vincent Tchalla’s occasionally singular efforts on goal, Asko De Kara was not particularly threatening upfront.
Kwadwo Poku made it two for Kotoko six minutes after resumption. Jordan Opoku with support from Nii Adjei secured the third goal fourteen minutes later. Kotoko exhausted its substitution list as Soulama Abdoulaye made way for Isaac Amoako in the 67th minute. Kwabena Yaro, Osei Kwame Junior, Daniel Nii Adjei, Francis Akwaffo and Kwadwo Poku were replaced by Nana Arhin-Duah, Stephen Oduro, Seydou Dagano, Ofosu Amoah and Prince Amponsah respectively.
Asko De Kara also pulled out Togaba Kontiwa out for Achite Komi. Their goal keeper, Tchao Kouko who conceded three goals was substituted by second goalie Adoyi Essofa. Referee Reginald Latbridge and his assistants had an excellent evening but if there were any low points concerning the Kotoko-Asko De Kara game, it was the rather poor attendance at the stadium.
Kotoko line-up: Soulama Abdoulaye/Isaac Amoako, Osei Kwame Junior/Stephen Oduro, Samuel Inkoom, Harrison Afful, Prince Anokye, Richard Manu, Francis Akwaffo/Ofosu Amoah, Daniel Adjei/Seydou Dagano, Jordan Opoku, Kwabena Yaro/Nana Arhin-Duah, Kwadwo Poku/Prince Amponsah.
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