Fatawu's brace gives Kotoko victory over Ashgold

Abdul Fatawu hit a brace in the second half to give Asante Kotoko S/C a hard-fought 2-0 win over visiting Ashgold S/C in a Ghana Football Association (GFA) Normalisation Special Cup clash at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, on Wednesday.

The visitors, who had not conceded a goal in their three previous matches, came into the match full of confidence and constantly kept their opponents under pressure with incessant attacks.

Goalie Felix Annan virtually kept the Miners frustrated with his brilliant saves throughout the first half, but the most significant ones came in the 24th and 28th minutes, when his timely interventions to prevented Safiu Mumuni from scoring.

Kotoko reshuffled their cards in the second half, bringing on Kwame Bonsu for Prince Acquah, while Collins Ameyaw replaced Emmanuel Gyamfi in the 58th and 67th minutes, respectively.

The Porcupine Warriors profited from these substitutions as Abdul Fatawu went ahead to hit a brace in the 71st and 76th minutes.

Both goals were well worked out from the midfield, and were as a result of two quick counter-attacks which saw the scorer punishing the Miners for sloppy marking.

Ashgold mounted series of incursions to fetch a consolation in the closing stage of the match, but could not go past the impregnable defensive network of the Porcupine Warriors.