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The Reds stop
Chelsea at home
23:44 GMT, 4-01-2010
Unlike in 2009 when Asante Kotoko
lost in their first league match on January 4, away to Sporting
Mirren, an entirely different story was told last Sunday,
January 3, 2010 as the Porcupines Warriors defied all odds to
inflict a painful 1-0 defeat on Bechem Chelsea at the Sunyani
Coronation Park.
Not only was the remarkable win
the club’s first away triumph, it also marked what the teeming
fans described as a good beginning in the New Year.
“For a team that went through
turmoil late last year, all I was expecting three days into the
New Year was a win. Thankfully, they gave us exactly that” said
King Solomon Akorli of Circle 117 who travelled from Berekum to
watch the match.
The win keeps Kotoko at 9th
position with 18 points. Kabiru Imoro secured the lone goal
after 29 minutes when perfectly finished off the beautiful
build-up he started with midfielders Daniel Nii Adjei and Samed
Oppong.
It was great relief for the
expectant fabulous supporters and Coach Paa Kwasi Fabin who was
on his feet for the entire duration of the game, constantly
issuing tactical instructions and directions.
The game was cagey right from the
blast of Referee Cecil Fletcher’s whistle. Bechem Chelsea made
good attempts to break the solid defence of the Porcupines but
Prince Boateng, captain Osei Kwame Junior, Mutalabi Mohammed and
Iddrisu Yahaya lived up to expectation. The quartet manned the
back confidently, making it almost impenetrable particularly
after the goal.
Iddrisu
Yahaya and Mutalabi Mohammed won the admiration of many of the
supporters with their timely clearances and tough tackles as the
game cruised to an end. The first half saw both sides taking on
each other courageously yet it was Kotoko that remained the
stronger side, wading off all the dangerous incursions initiated
by Bechem Chelsea.
Upon resumption, the Blues from
Bechem pinned the Porcupines into their half, in their desperate
search for the equaliser. They tested the agility of Isaac
Amoako a number of times and happily the Kotoko goalie passed
the test excellently with his good interventions especially
during corner kicks.
Two quick substitutions by the
Bechem bench altered their game plan as they pushed hard to draw
level. Kotoko resisted fiercely and Coach Paa Kwasi aptly
countered his opponents’ strategy returning more heat on them
with the introduction of one striker, Stephen Manu for Louis
Agyeman and a midfielder, Louis Quainoo for Edward Afum.
Bechem Chelsea piled more pressure
yet the Porcupines contained them. Referee Cecil Fletcher
towards the end of the grudge match, almost made things
difficult for the reds particularly when he disallowed Stephen
Manu’s goal claiming that Chelsea’s goalie Abubakari Iddrisu was
fouled in the process. He intriguingly awarded a foul against
Kotoko eventhough it was rather the Chelsea’s goalie that
dangerously fouled Kabiru Imoro who was with Manu before the
ball entered the net.
At 90 minutes, everything pointed
to a Kotoko win but the anxious Kotoko supporters had to wait
for seven minutes – three more minutes than the actual time
added on before the referee ended proceedings.
The elated supporters booed the
referee but most significantly they congratulated the team for
their sterling away performance.
In the meantime, the Brong Ahafo
Regional Circles Council members and leaders deserve
commendation for their presence and support at the Coronation
Park.
Kotoko line-up:
Isaac Amoako, Prince Boateng, Osei Kwame Junior, Mutalabi
Mohammed, Iddrisu Yahaya, Daniel Nii Adjei, Edward Afum/Louis
Quainoo, Haruna Ganiyu Yahaya, Kabiru Imoro, Louis Agyeman/Stephen
Manu, Samed Oppong.
Bechem
Chelsea line-up: Abubakari Iddrisu,
Eric Agyeman, Alfred Arthur, Paul Aidoo, Yusif Issah, Owusu
Jackson, Bekoe Kwame Adjei, Isaac Acheampong, Yaw Alex
Alexander, Razak Tahiru, Mubarak Moro. |
