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 Kotoko thrash JSK 3-1
By: Jerome Otchere, Kumasi
Kotoko’s ambition to win this year’s CAF Confederation Cup received a major boost on Saturday afternoon when the team thrashed Algerian side, Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie also known as JSK, 3-1 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Two goals from striker Eric Bekoe in the 38th and 71st minutes and one from Jordan Opoku nine minutes earlier electrified the stadium and convinced many that the Porcupine Warriors would cruise to an impressive win.
However, a 92nd minute spectacular header from Tayeb Marcoci which beat Soulama Abdoulaye shattered the enthusiastic feeling at the stadium. That goal left compelled fans to wonder why the team would excel for ninety minutes and concede an avoidable injury-time-goal. JSK’s lone goal was seen as damper and the danger it could pose to Kotoko, in the course of the competition was felt immediately throughout the stadium.
Kotoko’s win put them second to Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the group standings. Etoile beat Sudan’s El Merriekh 2-1 at the Olympic Stadium in Sousse later on Saturday. Meriah Mehdi and Emeka Opara scored two goals in the 50th and 80th minute respectively before Haitham Tambal pulled one back for Merriekh who host the Tunisians in Khartoum this weekend.
Kotoko on the other hand in be in Algeria as guests of JSK.
In an interview, Coach Bashir Hayford stated his disappointment with events that led to the goal.
“The team was too relaxed” he said. “The players thought the game was over. However, in football there is no closed situation until the referee whistles for the end of proceedings. As a coach I was utterly disappointed. However, we have to accept the score line in good faith” he added.
JSK during the match were determined to cause an upset. With their good organisation in defence, they kept Kotoko attackers at bay for over thirty minutes.
Stephen Oduro, Kwadwo Poku and Skipper Osei Kuffour’s good combination upfront in the 4th minute could have resulted in a goal but the lanky goal keeper, Fouzi Chaouchi, saved the situation.
Prince Anokye in the 13th minute almost gave JSK what would have been a costly gift, when in an attempt to clear the ball in defence, he headed it dangerously on goal. It took the agility of Burkinabe international goalie, Soulama Abdoulaye, who stretched to his elastic limit to prevent the ball from entering the net.
Anokye, it would be recalled committed a similar error by scoring an own goal when Dolphins FC stormed Kumasi after they had won the first leg 2-0 in Nigeria. Kotoko supporters had their hearts in their mouths, seeing that blunder by Prince Anokye once again in the JSK match.
Moments after Prince Anokye’s slip, the ever-skillful Stephen Oduro raised the hopes of supporters when he dummied two defenders on the edge of the penalty box and fired a tenacious shot which was blocked by JSK’s goalie. The pressure on JSK grew strongly from the 30th minute on.
Their rear-guards kept their faith in off-side traps. Those traps were exposed in the 38th minute when Eric Bekoe cleverly outwitted the defence with a perfect pass from Jordan Opoku to flip the ball into the net for the first goal.
Some JSK players angrily charged on the assistant referee one, Jawo Dickory protesting vehemently. The centre referee, John Mendy had however, awarded the goal.
Two JSK players received the yellow card in the 40th and 43rd minute respectively. Five minutes into the second half, Idrissa Coulibaly and Mark Sekyere were also shown the yellow card.
JSK improved well in the first quarter of the second half and nearly found the net in the 56th minute as Soulama Abdoulaye fumbled with Mohammed Rabie Meftah’s mighty shot.
When the heat was returned on JSK from the 60th minute, Jordan Opoku hit the target. A failed offside trap left the entire JSK defence confused and Eric Bekoe capitalised on that to find Jordan Opoku in the penalty box. The midfielder rightly fired home on the 62nd minute mark to make it 2-0.
The reaction of the fans was simply explosive!
They chanted for the third goal which came in the 71st minute through Eric Bekoe. An immaculate move on the right flank by man-of-the-match, Samuel Inkoom, ended with the workaholic releasing a powerful shot at goal. JSK keeper, Faouzi Chaouchi, did well to stop the shot, but a rebound from it got into the track of oncoming Eric Bekoe, who had no option than to opportunistically connect for Kotoko's third goal.
Francis Akwaffo and Ofosu Amoah replaced Eric Bekoe and Kwadwo Poku respectively, whilst JSK also exhausted their substitution by bringing on more men to beef up their team which at this stage appeared dismembered.
Instead of exploiting that, Kotoko players, especially the defense, needlessly allowed complacency into their fold. JSK deservedly punished the Porcupines in the 92nd minute by scoring a worthy consolation goal.
Kotoko line up: Soulama Abdoulaye, Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Nii Adjei, Ofosu Appiah, Prince Anokye, Mark Sekyere, Jordan Opoku, Stephen Oduro, Eric Bekoe/Francis Akwaffo, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Kwadwo Poku/Ofosu Amoah.
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