Asante Kotoko hope to change their scripted poor home performances as they enter the week 13 fixture of the 2015/2016 Ghana Premier League against Tema-based Inter Allies FC.
Having secured qualification to the last eight in the MTN FA Cup competition after edging out Storm Academy and a hard earned win at Bechem United to push them up to fourth on the league log, it is expected that the Porcupines will continue their rising form and grab the maximum points at stake on Sunday afternoon.
Coach Michael Osei, since taking charge as interim manager, has managed five wins out of six games with assistant Godwin Ablordey and seem to be bolstering with confidence to change fortunes at home where they have recorded less points than expected. The two former players are expectant of a bringing down the ‘Eleven is to One’ on Sunday to maintain their status in the top four with interim head, Osei disclosing that the team will hinge on their winning mentality to dispatch their opponents.
“We’ve concentrated on building a winning mentality and shaping their character so that, even when they are down, they won’t give up. That’s the same thing we will be doing plus some other tactical work,” Osei told www.asantekotokosc.com.
Inter Allies on the other hand have been struggling this campaign and have seen a change of hands in the technical directory with Jimmy Corbblah replacing Herbert Addo who has taken a break from football related activity after series of poor results.
Though Jimmy Corbblah’s side are clear outsiders to win the game, they ae very much expected to stretch Kotoko. Anyone who witnessed the game between the sides in Kumasi last season will have marveled at some of their passages of play masterminded by Herbert Addo but were unlucky to fall by just a goal.
The new handler, Corbblah who drew his game against AshantiGold at home on Wednesday looks forward to getting his first win with the harbour city side but looking at the strength and run of wins in difficult games for the homeside, they should be able to walk past Inter Allies who lie second from the base of the log.
This is not to rule out the threat of players like Ropapa Mensah and Gockel Ahortor as well as former Kotoko midfielder Prince Baffoe who can give Kotoko a lot to compete for. The absence of Dauda Mohammed who is on a national assignment in Addis Ababa against Ethiopia with the Black Satellites will also be positive for Allies who will be glad escaping his pressure, power and pace. It will also be bad for Kotoko as they will ty to outwit Osei Kwame in post for the away side. The goalie will however appreciate the absence of his opponent’s leading goal scorer.
Inter Allies will look at capitalizing on the poor home record of the Porcupines to record a good result back to Tema but spirited Kotoko will be difficult with their quality will be expected to record a win.
The game kicks off at 3:00 pm local time at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday.
