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Soccer News of Sunday, 11 July 2004

Source: GNA

Kotoko beat WAC of Morocco 2-0

Kumasi, July 11, GNA - Despite beating Wydad Athletic Club (WAC) of Morocco 2-0 in the one-eighth CAF Cup match in Kumasi on Sunday, supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko poured scorn on the technical bench for pulling out Charles Taylor, the architect of both goals.

They did not understand why the technical bench allowed Shilla Alhassan who in their opinion, played virtually nothing was allowed to play the full 90 minutes and that Taylor could have created at least another goal if he had been allowed to continue play.

The Moroccans also displayed some un-sports-manly behaviour, rushing on referee Djaoupe Kokou of Togo for allowing Kotoko's first goal in the 38th minute, which they considered was an off-side goal. Led by goalkeeper Lamyaghri Nadir, their captain, the WAC players directed the referee to his assistant Kapou Koffi whom they claimed raised his flag to signal an off side positioning.

But after consulting Koffi, referee Kokou ruled it as a goal but when the game was re-started, the WAC players again accosted the referee, but the match commissioner, Bolaji Ojo Oba of Nigeria ordered them back to the field for the game to re-start.

The Moroccans were however not satisfied with the decision and immediately referee Kokou whistled for the end of the game, they rushed on him and it took the security personnel a hectic time to escort him and his assistants to the dressing room.

WAC kicked off but quickly lost the ball to Kotoko who put them under severe pressure and nearly took the lead in the fifth minute but a defender cleared the ball to corner, which was wasted.

The pressure was on WAC was so immense that in the 10th minute, Kotoko earned a free kick and Taylor's free kick was headed over the bar by Nana Arhin Duah.

Kotoko kept the pressure on WAC but found it difficult to break the WAC defensive posture but they earned another free kick just outside the penalty box and Taylor's free kick was pushed into play by goalkeeper Nadir in the 22nd minute.

Two minutes later, Kotoko earned another free kick that was again taken by Taylor, but the was headed over the bar by Arhin Duah. Kotoko was clearly on the offensive and a minute later, Godfred Yeboah found ever improving Stephen Oduro who laid on a neat pass to Charles Taylor on the left but his well laid pass was cleverly intercepted by the WAC defence.

From proceedings of the game, it was clear that Kotoko were not to be denied another goal and it did come in the 38th minute when Charles Taylor beat an offside trap and the referee rightly waved him on. He took the ball to the far left, beat goalkeeper Nadir who rushed out of his posts and cut in a square pass for Yusif Chipsah to rush to meet the ball on the goal line to boot it into the net.

The WAC players rushed on referee Kokou claiming that Taylor was in an off side positioning and they heckled him and escorted him to consult his assistant, Koffi whom they said had raised his flag to signify an off side.

But after consulting his assistant, the referee ruled the goal as a perfect one.

WAC accepted the challenge and came close to equalising during time added on after splitting the Kotoko defence in a swift attack. They managed to tease goalkeeper George Owu out of his post but he recovered quickly to grab the ball before it could enter the net.

On resumption, Kotoko scored their second goal in the 61st minute through Arhin Duah who finished off a Charles Taylor cross from the left flank.

Arhin Duah was however immediately replaced by Frank Osei while WAC also pulled out Zarrouk Younes for Jean Jacques in the 67th minute. The Moroccans whose counter attacks were swift, caught the Kotoko defence napping in the 69th minute but goalkeeper Owu dashed out boldly to intercept the ball to save a sticky situation.

Kotoko then pulled out Taylor in the 71st minute for William Tierro but the substitution did not go down well with the supporters as they booed the decision.

WAC also sent on Bahafid Omar for Mankari Younes in the 73rd minute while Kotoko also pulled out Yusif Chipsah for Aziz Ansah in the 80th minute but no goals were produced till the end of the game.