Down memory lane: The six most memorable Kotoko-Olympics clashes

Kotoko in their quest to revive the hopes of their fans, following a shocking CAF Champions League loss at home will take on their old Allies, Gt. Olympics in the First Capital Plus Premier League on Sunday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

Below are the six most memorable meetings between Asante Kotoko and Gt. Olympics:

Sunday 25 July, 1971
Olympics 0-3 Kotoko
Asante Kotoko, champion club of Africa showed Gt. Olympics the league champions what it takes to be voted the best team in Africa by whipping them by three goals to nothing in their outstanding league game. This result is the heaviest defeat handed to an opponent at their own backyard in the league encounters between them. Kotoko took just 35 minutes to accomplish this feat: Yaw Sam broke the deadlock in the fourth minute, before Abukari Gariba in a solo manner doubled Kotoko's lead and Yaw Sam completed the wallop in the 35 minute.

Sunday 3 November, 1974
Olympics 3-0 Kotoko
Olympics achieved their biggest win over the Porcupine Warriors when they whipped them by three goals to nil at the Accra Sports Stadium in a league fixture.

This was a game that the score line was predicted by most soccer fans, because Olympics needed a win to propel them win the 1974 league while Kotoko were not close to winning the title and the race was between Olympics and Kotoko's bitterest rivals Accra Hearts of Oak.

Both team played a relaxed game as if nothing was as at stake. As if the score had been planned Olympics just went in to bang in three goals through Ago Nai in the 15 minute, before Jonas Adjei got a brace in the 25 minute and 55 minute.

 
Wednesday 27 September, 1984
Kotoko 7-5 Olympics
This game produced the highest goals in their meeting and Ben Kayade scored 5 goals which is the highest by a single player in the league.

However, the result was nullified by the Ghana FA because they suspected a fixed game. Kotoko were in a neck to neck competition with Hearts of Oak for the league title, hence needed the points to enhance their chances, while Olympics marksman Ben Kayede was in contention for the goal king, so needed more goals.

Kotoko opened the scoring in the 41 minute through Ebo Mends and Kwame Sampson doubled their lead in the 44th minute, before Kwabena Mensah made it three in the 48 minute.

Ben Kayede scored two quick goals in the 50 and 53 minute to bring Olympics into the game, but Ebo Mensds scored in the 63 and 78 minutes to record a hat-trick, with Joe Tex and Isaac Afranie, scoring in the 78 and 80 minutes respectively.

Kayede scored in the 71 minute to make the score line 4-3 and also scored in the 75 minute to bring the score line to 5-4, before he snatched his fifth goal on the day to bring the final result to 7-5.

 29 February, 1987
Kotoko 1-3 Olympics
Kotoko exhibited such a poor stuff that they lost 1-3 to the 'Wonder Club' to set fans wondering what was wrong with them. The team was jittering and confused, playing without any cohesion in contrast to Olympics who endeared themselves to the fans with accurate passes and beautiful combination.

Olympics indicated their determination to carry the day with their fast and swift-flowing soccer. This sent signal to Kotoko that they were in for trouble. With this in mind Kotoko switched into action and incidentally succeeded in taking the lead in the 11 minute through George Arthur. This however, didn't deter Olympics as midfielder Abu Imoro grabbed the equalizer in the 14 minute. Abu Imoro was again on target in the 44 minute to double Olympics lead, before Abraham Allotey fetched the third goal to seal the doom of Kotoko.

Sunday 25 December, 1994
Olympics 3-0 Kotoko
The Wonder boys put up one of their best performance against Asante Kotoko and succeeded burying them at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Olympics were even charitable for they could have recorded a cricket score line, if not their less adventurous trait that kept the score line at 3-0.

A historic win which equaled a similar feat they achieved in 1974, when they whipped Kotoko by the same margin and it stands as the most humiliating defeat suffered by Kotoko in the hands of Olympics.

Olmpics midfielder Osei Kwadwo was the chief architect of all the three goals scored as he gave two assists and scored a goal. He located striker Rashid Iddi with a well calculated pass before Iddi beat Kotoko's goalie Osei Kwadwo to register the first goal in the 26 minute.

The midfielder Osei Kwadwo beat his name sake in post for the Porcupine Warriors to double the lead in the 52 minute, before he once again assisted Odartey Lawson's 83 minute goal to nail Kotoko in the coffin.

Wednesday 19 December, 2007
Kotoko 5-0 Olympics
Kumasi Asante Kotoko walloped Accra Great Olympics 5-0 in the mid-week premier league match played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

This result equaled that of 1958 as the highest winning margin in their league encounters when Kotoko trounced Olympics by 6-1.

Eric Bekoe, who had just joined Kotoko from Heart of Lions hit a hat-trick

Eric scored his first in the fifth minute, with Daniel Nii Adjei making it two for Kotoko in the 15th minute. Bekoe's man of the match display culminated in his scoring the third and fourth goals for his side in the 24th and 45th minute respectively to end the half.

Kotoko who dominated Olympics increased the tally to five in the 74th minute through Francis Akwafo, after he connected home a brilliant pass from Stephen Oduro.