Kotoko makes it to quarter-finals

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) - Kumasi Asante Kotoko managed to beat Mount Cameroun 3-2 to qualify to the quarter finals of the African Cup Winners Cup competition in their titanic second-leg match played at the Kumasi sports stadium on Sunday.

Kotoko drew 2-2 with their counterparts in the first leg match played in Cameroun two weeks ago. Kotoko took the lead in the 35th minute when strong midfielder Michael Asante's beautiful pass, which the ace-striker Nana Arhin Duah made no mistake in planting the ball into the net.

The visitors counteracted immediately after the goal and equalised a minute later through Ze Zanga Mcdonald when he finished up beautifully a shot from skipper Atem Valentine before goalkeeper Louis Quainoo and the defender could cover up.

Mount Cameroun who had earlier on adopted a delay tactics with their goalkeeper Etame Sappro Eugene being the worst offender and at the same time playing it hard. In the sixth minute, Kotoko's Stephen Oduro hit the side of the net with a beautiful inswinger from Arhin Duah's pass and had two successive corner kicks in the 13th and 14th minutes respectively but wasted them.

Simon Ebelle was shown the yellow card in the 17th minute for decent. Mount Cameroun nearly took the lead in the 20th minute but goalkeeper Quainoo came out strongly and collided with an attacker, Mcdonald in the 21st minute.

Macdonald who was stretched off the field just returned to the field entered without orders from Referee Edmond Parkinson from Sierra Leone, therefore flagged him with yellow card.

Kotoko had a corner kick in the 25th minute, which was taken by petit Stephen Oduro and Michael Osei's header almost entered the net but the goalkeeper scooped it from the line. Undaunted, the visitors against the run of play had a chance to score but Agbor Bessong's shot missed the post narrowly in the 27th minute. They again came into the picture in the 31st minute but skipper Valentine who played a good game failed to connect home a cross from Modake Edembe.

Kotoko could not put their set pieces together and missed many scoring chances with their attackers fumbling upfront until the end of the first half.

On resumption, Kotoko restored their lead in the 48th minute through Isaac Boakye who lobbed a ball over onrushing goalkeeper Sappro Eugene after missing a chance in the 46th minute. Mount Cameroun brought in Ache Eben for Zambo Gabriel in the 53rd minute. A minute later, Fotso Felix of Cameroun was shown the red card for insulting behaviour.

This brought up a hold-up for about almost 17 minutes following Fotso's refusal to leave the field. When tempers cooled down and referee called for the commencement of the game, Kotoko continued to press to increase the tally, which eluded them with Boakye, Oduro and Asante missing glaring chances.

Let off the hook, the visitors had a free kick near Kotoko's vital area and was taken by Ebelle Simon straight into the net after sailing through the defenders for the equaliser in the 86th minute.

Kotoko, determined to carry the day exhausted their substitution list with Dan Acquah, Shilla Alhassan and Frank Osei coming in for Stephen Oduro, Michael Osei and Arhin Duah. Kotoko shooting from all angles during the injury time and pinning their opponents, had a corner kick and a defender in an attempt save the situation handled the ball in the "18" and the resultant spot-kick by Isaac Boakye earned Kotoko the match winner.