Asante Kotoko interim head coach Prince Yaw Owusu has pointed to a costly goalkeeping mistake as the decisive factor in his side’s narrow defeat to Hearts of Oak, despite applauding his players’ fighting spirit in the high-profile Super Clash.
Owusu, who recently stepped up from his assistant role following the departure of Abdul Karim Zito, was taking charge of his first major test amid intense scrutiny at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. While Kotoko showed promise and controlled periods of the game, a single lapse proved enough to swing the contest in Hearts’ favour.
The Porcupine Warriors fell behind in the 15th minute when Baba Adamu nodded in from a set-piece, catching goalkeeper Mohamed Camara off his line and handing the visitors a crucial early advantage.
After the match, Owusu praised the resilience of his squad but admitted the error proved too costly to recover from.
“I think the boys did their best. They keep fighting to the end. It’s just the mistake from the goalkeeper that cost us all this,” he said.
The interim coach also conceded that the defeat has complicated Kotoko’s push for the Ghana Premier League title, urging his side to dig deep in the remaining fixtures.
“This defeat makes our title ambition very difficult. Now we need to fight very hard before we can get the title,” Owusu added.
The setback leaves Asante Kotoko in fifth place on the league table with 35 points, nine behind leaders Medeama SC, and facing a challenging task to stay firmly in the title hunt.
