Eric Tinkler blames pitch and heat after Asante Kotoko held by Debibi United

Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler has criticised the condition of the Golden City Park pitch following his side’s 2-2 draw against Ghana Premier League newcomers Debibi United on the opening weekend of the season.

The Porcupine Warriors were forced to settle for a point in Berekum, extending their struggles against newly promoted teams despite twice taking the lead during the contest.

Speaking after the match, Tinkler said the heavy playing surface affected both teams and contributed to visible fatigue among the players.

“The pitch doesn’t influence just one team, but I could see their legs were dead. The pitch was heavy and thick,” he told the club’s media team.

“I’ve played on pitches like that, and it’s hard because it starts affecting your calves, your thighs and your hamstrings.”

The South African coach also highlighted the challenging weather conditions, arguing that the intense heat led to dehydration and should have prompted officials to introduce a water break.

“The intense heat meant dehydration started setting in. In this weather, we should at least have a water break for the players. That’s the only criticism that I’ll give,” he added.

Despite his concerns, Tinkler insisted the state of the pitch was not an excuse for his team’s performance and maintained that Kotoko were still able to play their preferred style of football.

“The pitch didn’t stop us from playing our brand of football,” he said.

The draw leaves Kotoko seventh in the Ghana Premier League standings after the opening round of fixtures.

• What next?

Asante Kotoko will now turn their attention to matchday two, where they host Heart of Lions at the Baba Yara Stadium in search of their first win of the 2026-27 campaign.