FA Cup Semi-Final Results

 Accra: Kotoko   5-0 Dwarfs 
 K'si:  G'fields 0-4 K. Faisal

FABULOUS Kumasi Asante Kotoko yesterday massacred their ageless rivals, Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs 5-0 at the Accra Stadium to book a crucial FA Cup final date with city rivals King Faisal at the same venue on Sunday, December 9.
While the Porcupine Warriors were humiliating their hapless opponents in their one-sided encounter, Faisal were also walloping Goldfields 4-0 at the Kumasi Stadium.
Quite contrary to pre-match expectations, Kotoko virtually turned this semi-final match into a training exercise and taught their division one opponents some vital lessons in the game.
Kotoko almost had the entire game under control but for the last 20 minutes when Dwarfs gathered some confidence to draw rings around the Kotoko defenders.
Apart from the seventh minute when Frank Mensah sent Kotoko’s goalkeeper, Osei Boateng struggling to save a fierce drive, hardly did the goal-shy Dwarfs attackers penetrate their opponents defence throughout proceedings giving Kotoko’s libero and skipper, Isaac Owusu, Joe Hendricks and Godfred Yeboah enough room to push their colleagues forward.
Being urged on by their large army of vocal fans, ubiquitous Stephen Owusu who masterminded the victory cast the shadow of what was to come when he hit the side-post with a typical curling free-kick after nine minutes.
Centre-forward Joe Okyere followed up immediately with a gliding header which was saved by Jacob Cofie.
In spite of the result, Dwarfs goalkeeper Jacob Cofie emerged outstanding as he beat the scoreline down with some spectacular saves.
However, veteran Joe Okyere could not be denied a goal after 19 minutes when he opened the floodgates with a precise connected to an Oduro corner-kick.
Joe Okyere increased the cheers in the stands in the 48th minute when he connected home an Oduro cross while substitute Charles Asamoah followed up with another connection to Aziz Ansah’s cross in the 65th minute.
Aziz Ansah was on hand in the 67th minute, while substitute Kwame Osei completed the rout after 73 minutes.
The Faisal goals scored by nimble-footed Joe Agyemang junior in the 19th and 90th minutes, and substitute Frank Osei in the 65th and 69th minutes had touches of class proving that the finals between Kotoko and King Faisal would be a match to watch.
Determined to reach the FA final for the first time in their existence, King Faisal started piling pressure on Goldfields as soon as Tamale-based referee Ibrahim Iddrisu, signaled the two teams to begin hostilities.
Faisal however met stiff resistance from the defenders of Obuasi Goldfields that revolved around Kojo Amoako, James Boateng and Moses Mensah.
With Kwabena Opoku, Joe Agyemang Junior, Ben Wilson and Isshaque Debrah leading the attack, Faisal continued the pressure and succeeded in snatching the leader through Joe Agyemang in the 19th minute.
Debrah initiated the attack but Rashid Campoare in posts for Goldfields punch his shot back into play. Agyemang who was hovering around, finished the rebound beatifully to put Faisal ahead.
Goldfields came within scoring range in the 21st , 26th and 34th minutes but Isaac Boakye who had those glorious chances messed them up.
King Faisal increased the tally through substitute Frank Osei in the 65th minute when he pounced on a lose ball and squeezed the ball through the legs of onrushing Campoare.
Four minutes later, Frank Osei repeated the dose with the same tactics putting Goldfields beyond recovery.
In the 89th minute, Goldfields earned a penalty when a hard-pressed Emmanuel Ampiah held Nana Arhin Duah in the box but Samuel Okyere saved Isaac Boakye’s shot superbly.
Just as the referee was about to whistle for the end of the match, Joe Agyemang hit the back of the net again to send the supporters of King Faisal jubilating for qualifying to book a date with Kumasi Asante Kotoko.