Visiting Aduana Stars fought hard to share the spoils with Kumasi Asante Kotoko as their week 28 Ghana Premier League (GPL) game ended a goal apiece at the Baba Yara Stadium, yesterday.
The red army, for the first time this season, defeated Aduana 2-0 in the first round of the competition in Dormaa and were poised to prove that the victory was not a fluke.
But it was Aduana that started the game vigorously, pushing in numbers to frustrate the Reds with a former Kotoko star, Emmanuel Gyamfi and Bright Adjei creating troubles to the hosts’ rearguard.
Bright Adjei had a great chance to give his side the lead in the 28th minute but wasted it as he fired over the bar.
Kotoko found their feet and came close to breaking the deadlock but George Mfegue saw his powerful header in the side net in the 33rd minute.
Three minutes later, Fabio Gama dribbled two players and sent a pass to Stephen Amankona who could have just tapped the ball into the net but failed.
Just when the Reds were on their knees needing something special, Frank Etouga, started and finished a move by driving forward, exchanging passes with Fabio Gama and fired a thunderous strike from distance that hit the back of the net in the 39th minute for his 19th goal of the season.
Aduana Stars resumed the second half poorly, giving a lot of faulty passes that eased the pressure on the Porcupine Warriors.
George Mfegue took a pass and drove into the box but was brought down for referee George Mawuli Vormawor to award a spot kick, but Mfegue who elected himself for the kick, failed to score as keeper Joseph Addo coolly grabbed the ball in the 62nd minute.
On the 81st minute, referee Vormawah awarded a second penalty to the Reds when George Mfegue was brought down again in the box but Etouga hit the post.
The visitors came into the game strongly in the dying minutes and saw Bright Adjei making amends when he connected Emmanuel Gyamfi corner kick in the 89th minute to cancel the lead.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI