Asante Kotoko would be eager to return to winning ways when they clash with Inter Allies today at the Accra Sports Stadium in their Ghana Premier League (GPL) matchweek 12 game.
The ‘Porcupine Warriors’ could only garner a point from their last two games after losing 1-0 to Aduana Stars in Accra before drawing 0-0 against Ashantigold in the Ashanti derby.
Kotoko’s loss to Aduana confirmed the team’s struggle to make their adopted homegrounds in Accra a fortress akin to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi which is still under renovation.
The home side’s record of two wins, a draw and two losses at the Accra Stadium would have raised an alarm heading into a game with the Accra-based Allies who also use the Accra Stadium as their adopted grounds.
But not on this occasion.The ‘Eleven is to one’ boys have been woeful in recent times both at home and on the road – recording a haul of losses in their last four games.
Save a stupendous display that saw them stun Hearts of Oak 1-0 at the venue in their match week three game, they are yet to show up despite Serbian Danijel Mujkanovic taking over from Henrik Lehm who was shown the exit after a series of poor results.
Allies are obviously bleeding from the departure of their captain and top marksman, Nigerien Victorien Adebayor who left for greener pastures in Denmark and was the leading scorer in the truncated league with 12 goals before his move abroad.
Ironically what Allies have lost in a clinical finisher, their opponents possess in Kwame Opoku who is a dangerous marksman yearning to add to his six goals after failing to find the back of the net in his last two games.
The return of Augustine Okrah and Mudasiru Salifu to Kotoko’s starting line-up against Ashantigold meant that coach Johnson Smith has more creative options.
Though Kotoko have historically prevailed in this clash with their last encounter at the Baba Yara Stadium, ending 1-0 in their favour, they must be wary of Allies who will be eager to repeat their giant-killing feat of Hearts against the porcupines.
At the Carl Reindorf Park in Dansoman, Liberty Professionals will have an arduous task getting their season back on track when they contend with fifth-place Aduana.
At the peak of their game in last year’s truncated season, Aduana were mauled 5-2 by the ‘Scientific Soccer lads’ at the same venue and will be aiming for revenge.
At the Berekum Golden City Park, Berekum Chelsea would have the opportunity to make amends in a Bono derby against Bechem United after they surrendered a three -goal lead and eventually lost 4-3 to King Faisal in Techiman.
Ironically, the visitors clawed back from a 1-0 loss to XI Wonders to win 2-1.
The home side will be counting on Paul Atta Agyei who scored a brace against Faisal whilst Hafiz Konkoni who triggered the comeback against Wonders would lead the ‘Hunters’.
At Cape Coast, Ebusua Dwarfs’ fine form would be tested by Ashantigold. The ‘Abontua Abontua’ boys are gaining a reputation for being a hard nut to crack and with Ashantigold winless from their last two games, this will be a tough order for the Miners especially when their last game at Cape Coast ended in a 2-0 defeat.
In other games, an entertaining game will be expected at the Theatre of Dreams in Dawu when Dreams FC take on WAFA. Free-scoring WAFA will be confronted by a resurgent Dreams side who are unbeaten in their last five games and winning their last two home games.
At Techiman, XI Wonders will hope to bounce back from their 2-1 loss to Bechem United against Elmina Sharks.
On Thursday, Accra Hearts of Oak will trek to Tarkwa where they will face Medeama SC whilst Legon Cities face league leaders Karela FC.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
