Ashgold were better than us - CK Akonnor

Head coach of Asante Kotoko, CK Akonnor has admitted that Ashanti Gold were the better side when the two regional rivals met in the Semifinal clash of the Tier II Special Competition played on Wednesday at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Porcupines were trashed in a four goal thriller despite taking an early lead in the game.

Guinean international, Naby Keita gave the Reds the lead after he brilliantly curled a shot past Frank Boateng. The Miners responded two minutes after when Yussif Mubarak headed home a cross from Ronald Amouzou to make the game even.

The Obuasi lads surged on to victory when Emmanuel Owusu hit a volley past Kotoko’s Danlad Ibrahim before the break. After recess, Mark Agyekum wounded the Porcupines more when he scored a scrappy goal which saw Danlad stretched off the pitch due to injury.

Reacting to the defeat to their Ashanti rivals, Coach CK Akonnor hailed the Miners as the better side of the day. Akonnor, however, bemoaned his lads inability to dominate the midfield like he had instructed.

Akonnor said, “It’s a game we lost because the opponents were better than us, they possessed and controlled the game. We came in with the idea of stopping the midfield making sure that players like McCarthy and others will not have enough of the ball but we couldn’t handle issues in the midfield.”

He added, “Fortunately we got an early goal but we lost it in the middle and McCarthy controlled the game and they played very well, they were better than us and its fair to say that the best team won.”

Asante Kotoko still have a chance at qualifying for Africa to represent Ghana at the CAF Champions League when they come up against Karela on Sunday in the final of the Tier I of the NC Special Cup.

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