Kumasi (Ash)-Ghana, Nov. 06, GNA – Asante Kotoko displayed another shambolic performance at home, losing to visiting Dreams FC 0-1 at the Baba Yara Stadium in their match week nine fixture of the betPawa Premier League.
The defeat which was their first at home this season also extended their winless run to four matches both at home and on the road.
On a day that most fans expected the Porcupine Warriors to return to winning ways to close the widening gap at the summit of the log, the team sold yet another abysmal performance far below the Kotoko standard.
Some of the home fans could not help but applaud Dreams FC intermittently just to spite the Kotoko players whose performance left them fuming throughout the match. Dreams FC was the first to hit the target in the fourth minute when Johnson Oppong unleashed a thunderous strike from 30 yards after Sheriff Mohammed gave away possession.
Oppong came close to breaking the deadlock again after 10 minutes when he dashed into the box after making light work on two Kotoko defenders, but his final delivery was saved by Danlad Ibrahim.
Dreams FC was arguably the better side in the first 15 minutes having dominated play in all departments and creating three decent chances.
Kotoko came into the game strongly after 20 minutes as they launched a series of attacks which were successfully repelled by the defence of the visitors.
Their brightest opportunity came in the 24th minute when Peter Amidu Acquah stole the ball from an opponent and chipped it over the onrushing goalkeeper, missing the target by inches.
The Porcupines continued to dictate play as they pushed more men forward in search of the opener with only 10 minutes to the end of the first half.
But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock against the run of play through Abdul Aziz Issah who beautifully converted a free kick just outside the box.
Issah’s ferocious strike went straight into the top right corner of the post, completely beating Danlad who had no answer to the well-taken set-piece.
Kotoko responded almost immediately with a swift onslaught initiated from the midfield but Eric Zeze’s carpet shot went wide. Dreams gallantly defended their goal and went into the break with their slender lead intact after referee Robert Musey brought proceedings to an end.
Coach Prosper Nartey Ogum made two substitutions, bringing on Bernard Somuah and Enoch Morrison for Kalou Ouatara and Peter Amidu Acquah respectively upon resumption of the match.
Somuah justified his inclusion almost immediately when he danced his way into the box forcing the goalkeeper to make a brilliant save. In their haste to pull parity, Kotoko gave away possession frequently thereby disrupting their play to the advantage of Dreams who were capitalising on their nervousness.
As Kotoko raced against time to salvage a point, the visitors resorted to delay tactics as a strategy to prevent the free flow of the match.
They succeeded in defeating Kotoko in their backyard for the first time this season, sparking a specter of frustration and dejection among the home fans.
