Kumasi Asante Kotoko yesterday suffered their first defeat in the season at home when visiting Berekum Chelsea humbled them with a lone goal at the week-three Ghana Premiership played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Chelsea entered the pitch full of confidence to cause a stir, having beaten Accra Hearts of Oak in Accra in the opening week of the premiership.
The visitors showed their quality from the blast of the whistle and, seven minutes into the game, Kofi Owusu clipped pass his markers and made a clinical finish to put his side ahead.
Berekum Chelsea then set up Kotoko to soak up pressure as they squeezed the host to their own half.
Kotoko accepted the challenge and raised their game, but goal-bound shots from Augustine Okrah and Ibrahim Moro hit the crossbar in the 38th and 45th-minute marks, ending the half.
The wide-open second half saw the Reds shaking off their dizziness and tried to dictate the pace for the visitors, whose midfield appeared more solid that frustrated Kotoko’s move, to the chagrin of the fans.
In the 71st minute, the visitors nearly increased the tally but Anim Cudjoe’s drive was saved by goalkeeper Felix Annan.
Drama unfolded when Kotoko’s rearguard, Ampem Dacosta, was given a matching-off order in the 76th minute for a second bookable offence, but the players protested – arguing there was a case of mistaken identity. The crowd became rowdy afterwards, but calm was restored after a temporary hold-up.
An opportunity fell on the path of Anim Gyamfi to draw parity after he was freed by Emmanuel Gyamfi, but he blew off the chance with only the keeper in the post – in the second minute of the added-on time.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
