Kotoko lost 2004 Confed Cup final because they refuse to use fortified jersey - Owusu Bempah reveals

Asante Kotoko shot themselves in the foot after declining to wear a fortified jersey for the inaugural edition of the CAF Confederations Cup final against Hearts of Oak in 2004.

It's been 17 years since the defeat that haunted Kotoko fans, but Rev. Owusu Bempah, the leader of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, has revealed the club lost because they did the opposite of what he told them to do.

According to Owusu Bempah, he gave Kotoko two orders: not to substitute keyman Charles Taylor and wear a jersey fortified by him, but the club did not follow through.

"I told them not to change him and even told them the jersey they should wear. I went there to tell them but they didn't listen," he said.

According to Owusu Bempah, he found out about the change of jersey after Kotoko player Edmund Owusu Ansah informed him on the day of the match.

"While they were in the dressing room Edmund Owusu Ansah called me and said "papa, the jersey you told us to wear and we had agreed, they have changed their minds". We had already fortified the jersey. For me, when I saw them wearing a different jersey I new knew they were going to lose. They took me to their camp and did everything, the likes of Chibsah were there. They told me a whole lot of stories afterward that Sarfo Gyamfi suggested something and all that. I had dreamt about it three times."

Kotoko opted to wear a Yellow and Black jersey instead of their Red and White home kit.

The Porcupines were inches close to lifting the first edition of the competition at the expense of their fierce rival Accra Hearts of Oak until the unexpected unfolded before the eyes of the home fans.

Kotoko, who had drawn one-all in the first leg, led the majority of the second leg through a Charles Taylor goal but Lawrence Adjah Tetteh put a dagger through the hearts of the Reds with a late equaliser to send the game to penalties.

Taylor was substituted two minutes prior to Adjah Tetteh's goal in the 81st minute.

Hearts of Oak went on to win 8-7 on penalty shootouts.

EE/FNOQ