Kotoko wins Sports Writers Cup

Kumasi, April 20, GNA - The 35th Edition of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Cup ended successfully at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday with the Porcupine Warriors and league leaders Kumasi Asante Kotoko beating AshantiGold 2-1 to lift the trophy. Credit goes to fast improving Francis Coffie, who scored both goals for Kotoko, first in the 45 minute through a penalty and a personal goal in the 83rd minute.

The only goal of Ashanti Gold was scored by Alex Asamoah when the match was only 29 minutes old when he beat two defenders in a counter and planted the ball at the blind side of goalkeeper Soulama Aboudulaye. Kotoko's victory over AshantiGold in this match organized annually in honour of the late Mr Henry Plange Nyametei, a renowned football administrator, a former patron of SWAG and a pioneer administrator of the State Insurance Company SIC), brought their tally in the cup triumph to 12.

Ashanti Gold on the other hand had won the Cup on three occasions all at the expense of Kotoko.

The match, which was sponsored by the SIC and patronized by a sizeable number of spectators was nearly marred by Mr Kofi Manu, popularly called 'Blue Blue,' an Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of AshantiGold who instigated the AshantiGold boys to boycott the match when referee William Agbovie whistled for a penalty against them in the 44th minute.

Skipper Osei Kufuor was given a pass in the vital area of AshantiGold and when he was about to pick it, Anthony Baffoe, a defender impeded his movement and brought him down in the box and the referee whistled for an infringement against the defender. The penalty award angered 'Blue Blue' who was decked in AshantiGold colours as he asked his boys to leave the field. When matters were brought under control, Coffie scored from the resultant kick to level up for Kotoko.

Most of the decisions of the match officials incurred the displeasure of both the players and the fans and the most conspicuous was in the 67th minute when the referee blinked at a penal offence when substitute Kwadwo Poku of Kotoko was fouled in the box of AshantiGold.