WIAFE Darkwah converted a dramatic 95th-minute penalty to hand Swedru All Blacks a vital 1-0 victory over Asante Kotoko in their Ghana Premier League (GPL) Matchday 5 encounter played on Saturday at the Swedru Sports Stadium.
The goal left the Porcupine family broken, as it left them with no time or chance to fight for the equaliser before the referee blew his whistle moments later to end the enthralling game.
The Porcupine Warriors came into the game on the back of a narrow win over Karela United on Matchday 4 and carried that confidence into the encounter, aiming to record a second win in a row.
Indeed, they were the better side in the initial exchanges, controlling the game and keeping the action largely in the home side’s half of the pitch.
But All Blacks were no pushovers. Occasionally, they exerted some dominance on the game and created a few chances that were dealt with brilliantly by the Kotoko defence.
After failing to break the deadlock in the first half, both sides commenced the second half with gusto, attempting to undo each other to find the back of the net, but All Blacks especially defended gallantly.
But just when it appeared the game was destined to end in a stalemate, Asante Kotoko’s left-back, Patrick Asiedu, gave the hosts a lifeline when he fouled Baah Junior inside the penalty area late in injury time.
With time almost up, fans of the home team greeted the award of the penalty with wild celebrations, creating a charged atmosphere. However, Darkwah kept his composure from the spot, cleanly beating goalkeeper Dari Aziz to seal a crucial win.
The victory was Swedru All Blacks’ second in their opening six matches of the 2026/27 season, providing a timely boost to their campaign.
Despite the defeat, Kotoko remain level on points with All Blacks in the Ghana Premier League standings, leaving both sides looking to build momentum in their upcoming fixtures.
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER
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