The Pride of the Northern region, RTU defeated Asante Kotoko by 2-1 at the Aliu Mahama sports stadium on Sunday in the match week 25 fixture of the premier league, and coach Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko has disclosed what he believes did the magic for his side.
The premier league surviving seekers inflicted a defeat on the run away league leaders on Sunday to boost their survival hopes, but head coach Shaibu maintains that the win was by dint of tactical masterclass from his side, which “clipped the wings” of Asante Kotoko.
Speaking to StarTimes after the match, Asante Kotoko head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum attributed their loss to lack of focus on the side of his players, and too much individual play that accounted for what was their only third lose in the ongoing 2021/2022 league season.
“I think they lost their focus on the field. Most of the things that they were doing especially with the ball were not the things that they were supposed to do. They were too individualistic on the field; most of the players didn’t play as a unit and as a unit, and I think that actually affected us”, Ogum said after the match
However, coach Tanko have a contrary view to the matter when he took his turn of the post match interview, after coach Ogum had finished his turn. To Shaibu Tanko, Asante Kotoko could not play the game their way because RTU clipped their wings, and blocked every space the Porcupine Warriors could have exploited to sail through.
“Kotoko are a good side by all standards, and we are a better side”, Shaibu Tanko told StarTimes after the match.
“We clipped their wings; where they are supposed to operate we clipped it. They couldn’t get any way to play there, that is the secret”, he stated.
RTU have the remaining 9 matches to save themselves out of disaster of being relegated, and to coach Tanko that is his utmost target and not a jubilation merely based on the fact that he’s beaten the league leaders, Asante Kotoko.
“Kotoko is not my target; my target is to remain in the league, so forward march as I earlier on mentioned in the beginning. Our forward march will begin from today”, he added.
After the win over Asante Kotoko on Sunday, RTU have now moved one step above the drop zone, sitting 15th on the 18-team league table with 28 points, leading the 16th place Eleven Wonders who also have 28 points on just 1 goal difference, and also 1 point behind 14th place King Faisal who have 29 points.
Picture Credit: Asante Kotoko
