Lions lift Coca-Cola Top Four Trophy

Kumasi, Feb 27, GNA - Kpando Heart of Lions fought from a goal down to beat Kumasi King Faisal 2-1 to lift the 2005 edition of the Coca-Cola Top Tournament in their top-liner at the Kumasi Sports stadium on Sunday.

Faisal scored first in the 46th minute through Shilla Illiasu who headed home a corner kick. Lions, not deterred by the goal accepted the challenge and earned a free kick just near the box in the 51st minute but wasted it. They continued however to probe for the equaliser but Obed Ansah missed a glaring chance in the 64th minute when he shot wide. Bob Zeo was called upon four minutes later to find equaliser but after he beat goalkeeper Suraju Mohammed who had come out of the post he missed the posts narrowly with a perfect grounder.

Faisal, sensing danger brought on Michael Owusu for Sumaila Alhassan in the 73rd minute while Lions substituted Sadat Bukari for Awal Mohammed in the 76th minute. Disaster struck Lions when their dependable defender, Jackson Joseph was carried off the field for an injury and he was quickly replaced by Adu Ofei in the 79th minute. Faisal's Eric Gawu missed a chance in the 81st minute when he failed to connect home a cross.

Lions from then took over the game and scored the match winner through Obed Ansah who headed home a cross from Zeo in the 82nd minute. It was a match that Faisal dominated in the first half with Prince Antwi missing a chance in the first minute of the game while Ben Wilson also wasted a chance in the third minute. Lions who could not put their set pieces together in the first half kept the attacking machinery of Faisal at bay but in the 23rd minute Gawu with only goalkeeper Chitou Rachad to beat shot off target. Shilla Illiasu of Faisal was adjudged the best player.