Asante Kotoko emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter against their arch-rivals, Hearts of Oak in a Ghana Premier League match played at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The match kicked off with an exhilarating start, with Linda Mtange missing a golden opportunity to score within the first 30 seconds.
This set the stage for a series of chances for both teams. The deadlock was finally broken in the 37th minute when Ibrahim Salifu delivered a brilliant cross from a free kick, which was met by Mtange’s exceptional header. Kotoko managed to equalize just before halftime, as Isaac Oppong executed a superb low effort inside the box, beating Richmond Ayi.
Coming back from the break with renewed determination, Kotoko scored their second goal in the 55th minute. Steven Mukwala took advantage of Ayi’s failure to deal with a shot on target, securing the rebound. Mukwala’s second goal was undisputed, as he intercepted a back pass and calmly slotted it into the net.
The importance of this win cannot be overstated, as it brought immense joy and excitement to the passionate Kotoko fans. Due to the Christmas festivities, the Accra Sports Stadium was unavailable to host the match. Consequently, Hearts of Oak, being the home team, decided to play the game at Kotoko’s home ground.
Ghanasoccernet reports that there were a couple of instances of confusion leading up to the game. Initially, Hearts of Oak fans obstructed the entrance gate, insisting that despite the match being played in Kumasi, they should be given priority as the home team. Security had to intervene to restore order, but the Hearts of Oak bus managed to enter first. Later, during the warm-up, some Hearts of Oak players mistakenly entered the Kotoko section, causing a brief moment of chaos. However, the situation was quickly resolved, and calm was restored.
