Kotoko Coach Praises Players

Kumasi Asante Kotoko coach, Hans Dieter-Schmidt despite failing to secure qualification to the next stage of the African Champions league has congratulated his boys for putting up a spirited performance in Sunday?s game against USM Algiers in Kumasi.

Although Kotoko won the game by 2-0 to cancel out the 2-0 defeat suffered in the first leg in Algeria, the porcupine warriors were bundled out of the lucrative CAF competition by 6-3 aggregate on penalties.

Charles Taylor was the only Asante Kotoko player to score his kick whiles Michael Ofosu Appiah and Stephen Oduro who had a very great game missed their kicks to the chagrin of the fans who packed the stadium.

The Kotoko coach, Hans Dieter-Schmidt told JoySports after the game that the defeat notwithstanding; he believes his boys played a great game.

?It was a great game from our side but an unlucky situation during the penalty kick.

?Nothing was wrong. We lead 2-0, nothing was wrong, what was wrong? We now go into the Confederation Cup, we lost only through penalty kick, and it was unlucky for the boys but its football and there?s life.

?It happened also to Hearts of Oak and we have to agree to that?, Dieter-Schmidt said.

Dieter-Schmidt was full of praise for the supporters who were highly disappointed after the game. Thousands of them filling the Kumasi Sports Stadium to full capacity were stuck in their seats with several others weeping.

Some disgruntled fans even begun waving the white handkerchief, calling for the removal of the clubs management. But the Kotoko coach believes all is not lost and is calling on the fans to exercise restraint.

?I have to thank the supporters for praying for us and for supporting us today (Sunday), the whole city, but you see if you are unlucky, you are unlucky together and I think we have a lot of successes again?, the coach added.