Ghana’s most decorated club, Asante Kotoko S/C, commenced the 2019/2020 Ghana Premier League campaign with a 1-0 victory over visiting Techiman Eleven Wonders, at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, on Sunday.
The win was made certain courtesy a third minute strike by midfield dynamo, Justice Blay.
Blay connected home a well-taken corner by Emmanuel Gyamfi, after Patrick Yeboah initiated a quick counter-attack attack on the right flank of the pitch.
The Porcupine Warriors buoyed by their recent victory over archrivals, Hearts of Oak S/C, proved tactically superior to their opponents in most departments of the game, pinning the visitors to their own half in the early exchanges of the game.
Eleven Wonders’ Seth Osei, who was the brightest spot of his side, was continually a thorn in the flesh of the Kotoko defence with his dribbling skills and composure in the opponents’ goal area.
The dare-devil of a striker forced goalie Felix Annan to make some timely saves to keep his side’s lead intact, as he came close to scoring in the 38th and 43rd minutes.
In the second half, Kotoko marshaled more men in midfield to neutralize the growing threats posed by the opponents’ attack, and taking control of the game, the homers attacked in droves.
Burkina Faso import, Sogne Yacouba, still struggling to regain his form, was gifted with an opportunity to increase the goal tally for the Porcupine Warriors in the 52nd minute, but the lack of precision upfront would see the chance go wasted.
The homers would subsequently, mount series of attacks to break the resilience of the well-composed Eleven Wonders’ defence, however, the latter defended gallantly to end the match, conceding only one goal.