ASHGOLD, KOTOKO BATTLE TO DRAW (BACK PAGE, OCT 26)

OBUASI Ashantigold failed to put their steamroller on track when Asante Kotoko forced them to a 1-1 drawn game at the Len Clay Stadium at Obuasi yesterday.
Not even an 85th minute penalty awarded Ashgold could see them on top as keeper Isaac Amoako, who was in great shape, saved Owusu Sefa’s poor kick.
The Obuasi side had given early signals of a third straight win in the premier league, but it was a false signal as Kotoko came back strongly in the second half to earn a deserving point.
Asante Kotoko, who played with ten men for the last 33 minutes following a red card flashed at Prince Boateng, played constructively launching fiery attacks on the counter.
The game started explosively with Ashgold taking the game to Kotoko but the defence withstood the barrage of attacks with Ofosu Appiah in great shape.
Persistent attacks from Ashgold cracked the Kotoko defence in the 15th minute when striker Mohammed Aminu lashed a powerful shot into the net with Isaac Amoako making a fruitless attempt to salvage it.
It was a great way to open the afternoon and Ashgold surged forward with Isaac Neequaye and Aminu getting the needed balls from the middle but again the Kotoko defence sporting Isaac Owusu, Ofosu Appiah, Louis Quainoo and Gideon Baah stood up to the test.
Kotoko lacked the cutting edge and with only Kabiru Moro upfront, he appeared isolated unable to threaten Ashgold in the final third.
As Kotoko briefly came out of their shells, goalkeeper Fatau Dauda drove out of his line to deal with a threatening ball on the 18th minute. With the game becoming difficult for Kotoko, coach Paa Kwesi Fabin got out of his technical area to urge his players on.
On the 40th minute Nana Yaw Afranie was booked for a savage tackle on Abdul Samad Oppong.
Kotoko resumed the second half aggressively and Daniel Nii Adjei brought them on level on 52 minutes when he rose majestically to head home a brilliant in-swinger.
The huge crowd that followed Asante Kotoko to the stadium roared to greet the goal but they nearly had a shock a minute later as Ashgold exploded into their area only to mess up the great opportunity.
After missing the penalty Ashgold attempted to get back into the picture but their efforts in the final third were always a failure.
Both sides made changes in a bid to change their fortunes but they did not have the ideas to break the deadlock.