Ashantigold SC have won the maiden edition of the B. K Edusei Memorial Cup after nailing regional rivals Asante Kotoko to a 4-3 defeat on penalties at the Baba Yara sports stadium on Sunday.
The match saw Asante Kotoko coach Kjetil Zachariassen experimenting by handing new boys Kingsley Effah and Samed Ibrahim stating role as they made their debut for the Porcupine Warriors. For the Miners, coach Ricardo Da Rocha made a single change in his starting line up against Akonangui FC in the Confederations Cup return fixture in Obuasi, bringing in Appiah McCarthy to replace striker Mark Agyekum. The Brazilian was forced into an early substitution after dependable defender Richard Osei Agyemang picked an early injury and had to be replaced by Musah Mohammed just three minutes after kickoff.
Ashantigold dominated play in the early minutes before the home side warmed themselves into the game to pile pressure on the Ashantigold backline. Kotoko striker Richard Arthur nearly put the his side in front before half time, but his ambitious effort went wide as the game went to recess with nothing separating the two sides.
Kotoko made two quick substitutions after the recess, replacing Kingsley Effah and Jordan Opoku with Mudasiru Salifu and Augustine Okrah to have the side refreshed.
Despite great efforts with audacious strikes from both sides, neither Kotoko’s skipper and goalkeeper Felix Annan nor Asantigold’s Frank Boateng could be beaten in goal as the referee Ernest Baafi blew for the end of the game after 90 minutes.
With the penalty kicks, Alex Didi, Richard Arthur and Mudasiru Salifu all missed their kicks for Kotoko after Naby Keita had put the home side in front. Kwadwo Amoako and David Abagna both missed their kicks for Ashantigold SC, but the Miners still had a last chance.
Amos Kofi Nkrumah brilliantly beat goalkeeper Felix Annan with the last kick to hand Ashantigold a dramatic 4-3 victory to clinch the maiden edition of the B. K Edusei Cup in Kumasi.
The match, organized by Maame Yaa Edusei, daughter of the late Asante Kotoko life patron B. K Edusei and CEO of the B. K. Edusei Foundation, is primarily to raise funds to assist former players of Asante Kotoko, starting with the squad that won Kotoko its first Champions League title in 1970 after beating TP Englebert (now TP Mezembe) 3-2 on aggregates over two legs.
