Zito faces first test as Kotoko host Aduana FC in tricky clash
The Ghana Premier League returns this weekend with blockbuster showdowns that could shape both ends of the table.
In the spotlight, tomorrow is a tricky clash between Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Aduana FC at the Baba Yara Stadium—an encounter set to test the mettle of newly appointed interim boss Abdul-Karim Zito in his managerial homecoming.
There is a sense of déjà vu in Kumasi ahead of tomorrow’s encounter as one of the Porcupine Warriors’ favourite sons – Zito won five league titles with Kotoko as a player and was a member of the club’s Champions League-winning side of 1983 – returns to the hot seat with the weight of expectation firmly on his shoulders.
For the 62-year-old coach, the task is as daunting as it is symbolic. Back at the helm more than a decade after his initial stint, he inherits a squad short on confidence and lagging in form.
Their recent slump—four matches without a win and slipping to the fourth position — has left their title aspirations in tatters, and ultimately cost Prosper Narteh Ogum his job early this week.
High expectations
However, the new coach is no stranger to turnarounds. His short but impressive spell at Dreams FC this season, where he sparked a second-round revival, speaks volumes.
“Going back to the top of the league table is difficult but not impossible,” Zito, ever the optimist, told the media with conviction in Kumasi during his unveiling. “It’s never over until the end.”
His immediate test is far from straightforward. Aduana FC may be languishing in 10th place, but they remain one of the most combative and unpredictable sides in the league. Kotoko’s 2-0 away win in Dormaa during the first round should offer some confidence, but the head-to-head history remains razor-thin—Aduana with nine wins, Kotoko with eight, and the rest drawn. Intriguingly, only one of Aduana’s victories has come in Kumasi.
That record will no doubt loom large in the minds of Aduana coach Cioba Aristica and his men, who must break new ground at the Baba Yara Stadium to claim three points against a home side determined to kickstart a revival under new leadership.
Midfield battle
Much will hinge on the midfield tussle. Kotoko’s engine room—anchored by the industrious Justice Blay, the energetic Patrick Asiedu, and the inventive Baba Yahaya—will need to dictate the tempo if the hosts are to assert control.
Further up the pitch, strikers Albert Amoah and Kwame Opoku must rediscover their scoring boots to repay the faith of the new boss.
Aduana’s hopes of an upset rest on the shoulders of forward Douglas Amoah and Wideman Zakaria Mumuni, who could give Kotoko some defensive headaches.
Added to the creativity of Richard Mahama and Kevin Osei, the ‘Ogya’ lads have more than enough firepower to trouble their hosts.
Coach Zito is expected to stick with a settled core but may introduce tactical tweaks to inject urgency into a team low on confidence.
Title race tightens
While all eyes are on Kumasi, elsewhere the title race takes centre stage as leaders Bibiani Gold Stars head to Tema for a crunch clash against relegation-threatened Vision FC at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex tomorrow afternoon.
The Miners are unbeaten in five and eyeing their first-ever league title, but Vision FC, perched precariously above the drop in 14th position, will not go down without a fight.
Hot on their heels are second-placed Nations FC, two points adrift, who must navigate a tough trip to face Berekum Chelsea, ninth on the log, at Golden City Park.
Coach Kassim Mingle’s men are in great form with five wins in as many matches and, therefore, cannot afford any slip-ups, especially with third-placed Kpando Heart of Lions breathing down their necks.
Heart of Lions will also fancy their chances of gaining ground as they face a struggling Legon Cities side stuck at the University of Ghana Stadium, Legon.
The ‘Royals’, stung by a 0-2 defeat to FC Samartex last week, are desperate to claw their way out of relegation trouble, but their in-form opponents present a daunting challenge despite losing their last two matches on the road.
Karela United, 16th on the log, will be buoyed by their battling draw against Hearts of Oak in Accra. They return to the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale to welcome an unpredictable Dreams FC side.
Meanwhile, defending champions FC Samartex 1996 are quietly gathering steam, rising to fifth on the back of solid recent form.
They look well-poised to tame newcomers Basake Holy Stars for their fourth straight win at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, Samreboi.
This afternoon, 15th-placed Accra Lions will look to bounce back at the Accra Sports Stadium against a tough Bechem United outfit, while Young Apostles FC face a tough assignment in today’s late kick-off against Medeama SC at the T&A Park, Tarkwa.
