By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, March 13, GNA – Asante Kotoko’s poor run in the second round of the Ghana Premier League continued on Wednesday night at the Baba Yara Stadium where they succumbed to a 2-3 defeat in a match week 21 encounter with Accra Lions.
The Porcupine Warriors who had the chance to move to the second spot to keep up the chase for the title were a pale shadow of themselves as the youthful Lions devoured them at their own backyard. It was a total dominance by the Accra-based team who recorded their first victory against Kotoko at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Having lost on the road again Karela United on Saturday, the home fans were expectant that their warriors would bounce back to keep their title aspirations alive, but they were left fuming after 90 minutes The early exchanges was more of an end-to-end action as both teams made their attacking intents clear right from the blast of the whistle.
But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on the 10th minute through Blessing Dankwah who calmly slotted home a cross from the side of attack.
The goal was heralded by a swift transition from their own half, having dispossessed Kotoko who were on the offensive, before raiding the box of the porcupines with the speed of light.
Daniel Awuni spotted the run of Dankwah and sent him a tailor-measured cross which the 17-year-old controlled with so much composure before placing it beyond Moise Pouatey for the opener.
As Kotoko fought back for the equaliser, the Lions intermittently caught them on the break with Awuni and Dankwah being the main architects.
The Porcupines’ probe to restore parity would however pay off on the 30th minute when Kalou Outarra found the back of the net from close range.
The former Berekum Chelsea Attacker received a long cross from Yussif Nurudeen, controlled the ball with his chest and sent it to the bottom corner of the post.
With both teams being on level terms after the half-hour mark, they stepped up their performance in search of the next goal, thereby increasing the tempo of the game.
They kept pushing each other for the lead which eluded them until referee Awurisa Andrews ended proceeding for the first half.
The visitors restored their lead just three minutes after the restart following a poor clearance by Justice Blay who gave the ball to their opponents on a silver platter.
Dankwah who had been a torn in the flesh of Blay all evening took off in anticipation of the ball which he received in the box and chipped it over the onrushing Pouatey.
After going behind for the second time on the night, Kotoko threw more men forward in their quest to pull parity but it was the visitors who deepened their woes when Dominic Amponsah fetch the third goal for the visitors.
They would continue to torment Kotoko who in their desperation to come back into the game gave away possessing needlessly.
The Porcupines however reduced the deficit to one on the 85th minute against the run of play when substitute Bernard Somuah hit a thunderous drive from 20 yards beyond goalkeeper Andrews Owusu.
From that point, it was all Asante Kotoko as they launched series of incursions into the goal area of Lions who gallantly defended their lines to secure their first victory at the Baba Yara Stadium since joining the premiership.
GNA