Asante Kotoko emerged victorious in a pulsating Super Clash against Hearts of Oak on Sunday, with Ugandan striker Steven Mukwala stealing the show with a clinical brace.
The 2-0 win at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi proves to be a pivotal moment for both teams in their respective battles for contrasting ends of the Ghana Premier League table.
Mukwala, in scintillating form this season, proved to be a thorn in the side of the Hearts of Oak defense throughout the match.
His first goal, a well-placed strike, sent the passionate Kotoko faithful into a frenzy. He then sealed the win with a brilliant effort late in the game, solidifying his position as one of the league’s prolific goal scorers, scoring 14 goals, just one behind Berekum Chelsea’s Stephen Amankonah.
This victory is a massive sigh of relief for Kotoko. The win propels them to 9th place in the table, creating a vital buffer zone between themselves and the relegation zone.
For Hearts of Oak, however, the defeat paints a worrying picture. They now find themselves precariously placed in 14th position, a mere two points above the drop zone.
The pressure is now firmly on Hearts of Oak to turn things around quickly. With a crucial and potential relegation battle looming, the Phobians must find a way to rediscover their form and secure points in the remaining matches.
Hearts of Oak head coach, Aboubakar Ouattara congratulated Asante Kotoko for their win and condemned how his side played on the day.
“Congratulations to Asante Kotoko, we played badly today too, we didn’t play well”.
“We lost the game, we didn’t play well and Kotoko took their chances”, Ouattara added.
Two goal-hero, Steven Desse Mukwala couldn’t hide his excitement after the game.
“I feel so delighted, particularly how it means to win at Baba Yara especially against Hearts of Oak. They are our rivals so I’m very happy and I know the fans are also happy”.
For Kotoko, this win serves as a major confidence boost. With Mukwala firing on all cylinders, they’ll be aiming to build momentum and climb further up the table.
The Super Clash may be over, but the fight for the league title and to avoid relegation continues. The remaining matches of the Ghana Premier League promise to be a tense and exciting affair.