Kotoko thrash Heart of Lions 3-0

Kumasi, Sept 25, GNA- Kumasi Asante Kotoko played a good game to beat Kpando Heart of Lions 3-0 in their outstanding Kinapharma Premier league match played in Kumasi on Thursday.

Kotoko, who looked a transformed side from the one that bowed to APR of Rwanda on Sunday took the visitors by storm and had their first goal in the seventh minute through Shilla Alhassan who connected home a brilliant pass from Frank Osei.

From then on, the visitors who had beaten Kotoko 1-0 at home in the first round could not withstand the pressure from Kotoko, as they appeared confused, thereby allowing Kotoko to strike a perfect rhythm. In the 17th minute, Aziz Ansah hit the post with a powerful shot as goalkeeper Sumaila Abdallah was completely beaten.

Kotoko continued to dominate the game but the visitors countered swiftly and nearly found the equaliser in the 23rd minute but goalkeeper George Owu made a brilliant save from Joseph Onyina Ababio's shot. The rain then set in but Kotoko remained on top as Moses Tetteh's free kick hit the cross bar and veered off target on 41 minutes. Early in the second half, Siba Tahiru of Lions was red carded for rough play on Aziz Ansah.

Ball control became rather difficult due to the soggy pitch but Frank Osei made it 2-0 for Kotoko in the 48th minute through a headed connection to a corner kick.

Samuel Yeboah nearly pulled a goal back for Heart of Lions but his shot missed the post narrowly in the 51st minute.

Kotoko mounted a last minute onslaught on the visitors, pinning them to their own half and in the process, substitute Yaw Nyarko in an attempt to clear a dangerous situation headed the ball into his own net for the third goal for the league leaders in the 84th minute.