Golden Kick FC head coach Fiifi Parker Hanson has praised his players and blamed officiating for their 2-1 defeat to Asante Kotoko in Sunday’s FA Cup final at the University of Ghana Stadium.
A late and controversial penalty converted by Kwame Opoku; his second goal of the game secured Kotoko’s record-extending 10th FA Cup title.
Golden Kick had equalized earlier through a stunning Bless Ege free-kick, and looked poised to take the match to extra time until the decisive moment in the dying minutes.
Speaking post-match, Coach Hanson said he was “overwhelmed” with pride at his team’s performance, especially against a club of Kotoko’s stature.
However, he strongly criticized referee Latif Adaari and his assistants, insisting their decisions unfairly swung the result.
“We played according to plan, and the boys were amazing,” Hanson told the media. “Unfortunately, the decision-makers took the game into their own hands. The referee handed the victory to them on a silver platter.”
Despite the heartbreak, Golden Kick earned widespread admiration for their fearless and entertaining performance, with many fans feeling the underdogs were the better side on the night.
