Today in Sports History: Asante Kotoko beat Hearts 2-0 in Top Four tournament

On this day 9 March 2003 (Exactly 17 years ago today) Kumasi Asante Kotoko beat Accra Hearts of Oak 2-0 at the Kumasi Sports stadium in the LG Top Four Tournament.

Kotoko scored both goal in the first half through Isaac Boakye in the 4th minute and Stephen Oduro in the 24 min

Kotoko were by far the better side and Hearts would feel lucky they left the Kumasi Stadium with just a 0-2 deficit and nothing more.

The Porcupine Warriors were always in with a chance of winning this game but few could have predicted the ease with which the victory came.

As early as the first minute, the Phobians were left off the hook after Michael Osei failed to make the most of a defensive mis-clearance by Kwabena Boafo.

Ironically, Kotoko scored from what couldn’t really be labeled good chances. Boakye’s goal came after four minutes. He got the better of the experienced but largely ineffective Princeton Owusu Ansah, beat another Hearts of Oak defender before releasing a sweet left foot shot that flew past Hearts goalkeeper James Nanor.

Then on twenty four minutes, Stephen Oduro scored an intelligent goal that would further underline his status as one of the finest players in the country.

Princeton Owusu Ansah again lost control of the ball in midfield but instead of closing him down, the Hearts midfield and defence made the greatest mistake you can ever make when playing against a player of Oduro’s intelligence: allow him too much space.

Oduro said thank you by first lifting the ball over the head of new Hearts player Emmanuel Osei, moving into empty space before cheekily placing the ball beyond the reach of Nanor.

Hearts’ best chance in the first half came in the closing stages of the first half when Charles Taylor back from trials in Switzerland played a one-two with Emmanuel Osei Kuffour before releasing a fine volley that was expertly saved by Kotoko goalkeeper Louis Quainoo.

Kotoko coach Abdul Razak who led Malian side Stade Malien to eliminate Hearts from the first round of previous year’s CAF Champions League was elated by the victory in what he calls ”another game”.

The Kotoko playing legend said: ”I proved to Hearts that I am capable of beating them. For us this was just another game and it was very very good that we beat Hearts. We would tackle the rest of our LG Top 4 games like every other game and see what happens”.

Kotoko Line Up: L. Quianoo Aziz Ansah Godfred Yeboah Dan Acquah Joe Hendricks Mike Asante Stephen Oduro (83? Kwame Adjaba) Chibsta Isaac Boakye (83? Shilla) Edmond Owusu Ansah Michael Osei

Hearts Line-Up : Nannor, Dan Quaye, P. Klutsu, Dan Oppong K. Boafo Prince, Owusu Ansah, Don Bortey, Copson (Turkson ), Emmanuel Osei Kuffour (Wisdom Abbey), Emmanuel Osei (A. Tetteh), Charles Taylor