Asante Kotoko SC managed to break their home deadlock in the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League by defeating their long-standing rivals, Aduana Stars, in a tightly contested match at the Baba Yara Stadium on Friday night.
The Porcupine Warriors claimed their first home victory of the season in front of their enthusiastic fans, clinching a 1-0 win over Aduana in the fifth matchday of the Ghanaian Premiership.
This victory marked a significant turnaround for Kotoko, as it ended a seven-game drawing streak in Kumasi and marked their second consecutive league win since November 2022.
Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum, the manager of Asante Kotoko, implemented two changes to the starting lineup compared to their previous match against Accra Lions FC. Baba Yahaya and Steve Dese Mukwala were replaced by Kalo Ouattara, who was the hero with the match-winning goal against Lions, and Georges Mfegue.
On the opposing side, Yaw Acheampong, the Aduana Stars coach, made just one change to his lineup, with forward Bright Adjei returning to the starting eleven after recovering from an injury, replacing Justus Tortsutsey.
The pivotal moment of the match came in the first half when Kalo Ouattara rose above the defense to head home a perfectly delivered cross from Richmond Nii Lamptey, putting the Porcupine Warriors in the lead.
Aduana Stars attempted to mount a comeback in the second half but struggled to create significant scoring opportunities, ultimately failing to equalize. As a result, Asante Kotoko secured the maximum points and delighted their fans with a well-deserved home victory.