Kotoko suffers first home defeat

Defending Champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, succumbed to a shocking 1-2 defeat against King Faisal Babies in their Glo-Premier League outstanding match at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The match, a local derby, saw the two combatants in an uncompromising mood throughout proceedings, but, it was Faisal who had the last laugh with a late strike to win the day, sending their supporters into wild jubilation.

For Kotoko, it was their first home defeat for the 2012/2013 season and their disappointing fans found it difficult to leave the Stadium even long after referee Ernest Baafi had ended the match.

Kwabena  Adusei drew first blood for the Porcupine Warriors when he converted a spot-kick to break the deadlock of the game in the 42nd minute.

This was after Faisal’s Samuel Adade handled the ball in the 18-yard box in a desperate attempt to clear Michael Helegbe’s shot in a counter-attack.

The second half commenced with Faisal pushing more men forward and succeeded to unsettle Kotoko with an early goal in the 54th minute courtesy Tettey Nortey.

Nortey, who was lurking in the vital area of Kotoko sneaked past the defenders to volley home the equalizer in a goalmouth melee.

Gingered by this goal, Faisal probed for more and nearly increased the tally but Farouk Mohammed’s well-taken shots missed the target narrowly in the 65th and 68th minutes.

As the game wore on, Faisal lifted up their performance and stunned Kotoko by scoring the winner through substitute Kofi Owusu in the 85th minute.

Owusu had barely settled in the game when he delivered the shocker as he rose above the Kotoko defence to connect home a corner kick.

Source: GNA