Barely five days after battling rival Hearts of Oak to a nail-biting barren game, Asante Kotoko will this evening seek to garner maximum points as they engage Elmina Sharks in a dicey week-17 league tie at the Ndoum Park in Elmina.
Kick-off is at 6.pm.
It will be the first game for interim coach Nii Odartey Lamptey, who was appointed after Sharks parted ways with Yaw Acheampong and two other backroom staff. It is certainly a huge task for Lamptey in the dugout.
Indeed, Sharks are yet to pick a win in their last six games and would have to strive hard and get back to winning ways without the services of Benjamin Twebeboah and Benjamin Arthur.
With three victories after 16 games, Sharks will be aiming to pick up the pieces against a Kotoko side that could go all the way for a win to keep their title hopes alive.
In that quest, the visitors will be eager to worsen the woes of Sharks who have dropped from mid-table position to sit 14th on the table. The return of Patrick Asmah and Evans Adomako will add more force to Kotoko who look to start the month of March on a good note.
A win against Sharks will close the gap to two points at the top – and potentially unseat Karela United after their two outstanding games are cleared. Kotoko exited the CAF Confederations Cup and their attention will now lie on the league as they are eager to end their seven years trophy drought.
In the other game of the day, bottom-placed Inter Allies will host Ashantigold SC at the Accra Sport Stadium at 3.pm.
Recent results have not been favourable for Inter Allies in the ongoing season, as they have picked up only two wins in 16 games with their fans already calling for the head of Danish gaffer Danijel Mujkanovic who took over from Henrik Lehm in January 2020.
With just a solitary victory in their last four games, Allies will face a tough Ashgold side that would also seek to bounce back from a disappointing 2-4 defeat to Dreams FC last week.
It would not be out of place to say that the departure of some key players has really affected the Allies- a team that was on top form in the truncated league last season.
Bent on escaping relegation, however, the return of Samuel Armah – the club’s second best scorer in the cancelled league, could be a huge boost for Allies. Former Kotoko duo of Richard Arthur and Emmanuel Agyeman Badu, have also found a way to the side in the second transfer window.
The Capelli boys, as Allies are known, could use this fixture to turn things ahead of the second round, especially when the Miners will be missing the services of top striker Hans Kwofie, who registered five goals before signing for ‘Money bags’ Legon Cities.
However, the individual brilliance of David Abagna, Eric Esso, Frank Akoto and Richard Agyeman could come to play and keep Ashgold in the title race as they are seven points behind leaders Karela.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
