Kotoko plan for San Pedro return leg match

Management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko is putting measures in place to ensure adequate security for their second leg CAF Confederation Cup encounter with San Pedro Football Club in Abidjan, on Sunday.

The decision has been necessitated by the way and manner the Ivorians reacted after the game in Kumasi.

The furious players and officials of San Pedro attacked the South African referee, Eugene Ndule, for what they described as bias officiating.

The situation escalated when some unknown faces stormed the pitch, resulting in a free-for-all fight, right after the game.

It gave security personnel a hellish situation to deal with.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Club, George Amoako, preparations were being made to ensure a formidable security at the venue to avoid any confrontation before, during or after the return match.

He, however, admitted that Kotoko had a hard luck during the match, stressing that the weather was not favourable for them.

Mr Amoako, an Executive Committee member of the Ghana Football Association, did not rule out their chances of victory in the second leg saying, “we will make every effort to win the game”.

The first leg at the Baba Yara stadium ended 1-0 in favour of the Reds, courtesy a spot kick by Naby Keita.

Following heavy rains, the match was postponed to Monday after the first half which was played in intermittent rains.

Just after the break, the rains intensified and after a pitch inspection by the referee and match officials, the second half was rescheduled for Monday, per FIFA rules.

The Ivorians caused a stir when some of the players and officials picked trays to scoop the water that had gathered at portions of the pitch for the second half to be played but that was resisted by Kotoko, a move that nearly resulted in mayhem.

Kotoko was eliminated by Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel in a 3-2 goal aggregate defeat to join the Confederation Cup tournament.

FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI