Africa-Press – Ghana. Kumasi Asante Kotoko head coach Karim Zito praised his players’ discipline and commitment after their narrow 1-0 win over arch-rivals Accra Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League on Sunday.
Morifing Donzo’s strike from the penalty spot in the first half was enough to give Asante Kotoko all three points.
“Before the beginning of the league, we set our target to win the league again. Winning today is one of those games that keep us on track, and I’m very happy that we have been able to maintain our unbeaten record, especially against Hearts of Oak and away from home,” coach Zito told reporters after the match.
He added that the victory was particularly meaningful for fans in Kumasi.
“I owed Kumasi supporters two points because I drew with Heart of Lions earlier in the season, so I’m happy I was able to get two goals today to make up for that,” he said.
Zito credited hard work and a positive attitude for the team’s success but admitted missed chances in the first half could have been costly.
“Look at the chances we created in the first half, if we had taken them, the scoreline would have been different. My next focus in training will be goal scoring because we wasted too many chances.”
He described matches between Kotoko and Hearts as emotionally charged encounters.
“Hearts and Kotoko games are never easy. The tension is high from the players and coaches alike. But once we managed to score one, that’s enough for three points, and I’m satisfied with that,” the experienced gaffer stated.
On attacking options, Zito said Kotoko were coping without a key striker. “We’ve scored four goals in Amoah’s absence, and all came from midfielders. As a coach, when you have a problem, you must find a solution. For now, we have only one striker, and he is still adapting to our style of play.”
Zito urged fans to remain patient as Kotoko searches for more glory.
“Kotoko supporters should be patient and keep supporting us, without them, there is no Kotoko. Our focus is to stay consistent and qualify to get back to Africa,” he said.
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