Kotoko, AshantiGold share spoils
Kumasi Asante Kotoko and regional rivals, AshantiGold, shared the spoils in a closed door 10th week Premier League game at the Baba Yara Stadium yesterday.
The two are tied on 18 points despite AshantiGold's initial dominance as local journalists turned supporters to rally behind Kotoko for the winner that never came.
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Yesterday's game was the last in Kotoko's five match home ban following fans misbehaviour in their home game against Berekum Chelsea five weeks ago.
AshantiGold were in the driving seat from the start but blew away a golden opportunity when in the third minute Benjamin Eshun shot off target from a powerful corner kick, but that did not deter the Miners who probed for an early goal as Kotoko, playing without newly married skipper Felix Annan and the club’s player of the month Justice Blay, fought for space.
It took a while for Kotoko to be able to string their passes together as AshantiGold crowded them in the middle with occasional threats but goalkeeper Kwame Baah was up to the challenge.
Kotoko's open chance came in the 25th minute but Imoro Ibrahim fluffed his team's first chance to score.
Again in the 46th minute, substitute Augustine Okrah missed narrowly the upright from a close range as the Porcupine Warriors surged for a goal.
However, it was William Opoku Mensah's unpardonable miss in the 60th minute for Kotoko that brought the mainly radio journalists to their feet as some left their microphone to yell at the player.
Mensah chanced on a defensive mixed up but rather than delivering on a one-time shot, he tried to round up goalkeeper Frank Boateng and the ball was intercepted.
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Kotoko never looked back from that near miss as defender Habib Mohammed hit the upright two minutes later.
Sensing danger, AshantiGold recoiled quickly to defend their one point to attack intermittently.
Kotoko made a last minute attack to fetch the winner but goalkeeper Boateng stood between them and victory.
Despite his rather excellent performance, Referee Daniel Laryea shot himself in the foot when he disallowed an obvious penalty and rather awarded a free-kick outside the box for AshantiGold, which was wasted.