Ashanti Gold has shown class and tenacity to beat Kumasi Asante Kotoko 3:1 at the Accra Sports Stadium in the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Normalization Committee (NC) Tier Two semi-final of the special competition. Kotoko opened the scoring in the second minute of the first half through striker Naby Keita from a swift passing down the right flanks.
Ashanti Gold responded with an equalizer from Ali Muftawu few minutes after Kotoko’s goal to cut short their jubilation in a game that promised to have a lot of goals. The Obuasi based club seized the midfield with some delightful passes that kept the Kotoko players drawing back constantly to defend their post.
Ashanti Gold was rewarded with a second goal from Emmanuel Owusu for their hard work before the half-hour mark after a one-two touches in the midfield that split open the Kotoko defense, which left Kotoko goalie Danlad Ibrahim helpless to end an entertaining first half.
Kotoko started the second half with a more purposeful play in search of an equalizer but their plans were cut short when in the 55th minute, Mark Agyekum headed from close range to make it three for Ashanti Gold. The Obuasi club showed more purpose and willingness to win the day, by stringing decent and delightful passes together to the admiration of the teaming fans. Kotoko came into the game in the final quarter of the match but their efforts couldn’t yield any results as the game ended by 3:1 in favor of Ashanti Gold.
Ashanti Gold has thus, booked a final berth against Nzema Kotoko in the tier two competition as Nzema Kotoko beat Unistar Academy by 2:1 in the other semi-final match at the Cape Coast sports stadium, as Kotoko has also booked a mouthwatering final against Karela United in the Tier one final come Sunday 21st June 2019 in Kumasi.
By Emmanuel Asante Attakora