Porcupines defeat AshGold to win SWAG Cup

Eric Donkor's injury-time free-kick gave Asante Kotoko a 1-0 win over league champions AshantiGold at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday to win the 2015 SWAG Cup.

The win ensured David Duncan won his first silverware as Kotoko coach since his appointment in March.

Kotoko, dethroned Ghana League champions, demonstrated their readiness to win the trophy from the blast of the whistle.

Duncan named four new signings in his starting line-up and mounted a blistering display from blast of the whistle.

They came close fetching the opener under three minutes but midfielder Stephen Nyarko's shot was too feeble to beat goalkeeper Robert Dabuo.

AshantiGold turned the heat on the Porcupine Warriors forcing them to recoil after a quarter of an hour.

The Aboakese lads registered three corner kicks after constantly swamping the Kotoko area.

Debutante Edwin Tuffour Frimpong was gifted with the chance of breaking the virginity of the game from Eric Donkor's corner kick but the defender headed wide.

The Yellow and Blacks quickly transformed Kotoko's missed opportunity into a brilliant advantage with a quick counter attack with Emmanuel Osei Baffour combining well with Alhassan Nuhu but the instrumental Osei Agyemang saved the Reds.

Obed Owusu had the last touch of the first half with a nice combination with Amos Frimpong from the left side of AshGold's defense but Robert Dabuo flicked the ball to keep the score 0-0.

The Porcupine Warrior again took control of the game in the second half as David Duncan brought on Kwame Boateng for Dauda Mohammed.

As if the goal scorer, Donkor was destined to score today.

The defender was gifted with a loose ball from AshGold's Eric Opoku but decided to shoot over the bar instead of going for goal.

Donkor again was in the spotlight when his 55th k found minute corner kick found Boateng who headed the ball, saved by Dabuo but Theophilus Nyame went for a near miss instead of the target.

The tempo of the game was rising with the Reds in front.

Boateng's second touch of the afternoon found Eric Donkor but he missed again as the his time for scoring was not up.

Duncan again brought on Bennet Ofori for Stephen Nyarko to beef the attack and intensify the pressure on the miners.

Bennet's presence paid off as the Miners coiled to defend their side instead of opening up for the opener.

Bashiru Hayford brought on goalkeeper Nana Bonsu for Robert Dabuo in the 90' minute as he expected penalty shootouts but the substitution cost the Obuasi-based side

The final straw that broke the camel's back came in the third minute of stoppage time when Donkor converted a Beckham-esque free kick to displace substitute goalie Nana Bonsu who could only watch on as the ball kissed the net.

The Miners have missed out the chance of winning their fifth trophy in a year after the Adansiman Cup, GHALCA Top 4, League and the Otumfuo Cup.

The man who will go home laughing will obviously not be Eric Donkor but David Duncan.