Asante Kotoko head coach Karim Zito has conceded that his side squandered a golden opportunity to reduce the points gap on league leaders Medeama SC following their defeat to Heart of Lions.
The Porcupine Warriors suffered a 3–1 loss at the Kpando Sports Stadium on Saturday in Matchday 21 of the Ghana Premier League, a result that dealt a blow to their title ambitions.
Kotoko’s setback came just a day after Medeama were beaten 2–1 by Nations FC at the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex — a development that had opened the door for Zito’s men to gain crucial ground in the race for the top spot.
Reacting after the match, Zito admitted the missed opportunity was painful considering the circumstances and the team’s preparation.
“Medeama lost yesterday, and today was our chance to close the gap. Honestly, I feel we missed that opportunity.
That is why I was not expecting this result, because in terms of preparation, we worked very hard. We prepared extremely well.”
Despite acknowledging the historical difficulty of playing in Kpando, the Kotoko boss insisted the venue should not serve as an excuse for the defeat.
“Kpando is always a very difficult place for Kotoko to come and play. But putting that aside, I had a plan to at least win this game. Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way I wanted it to.”
The defeat leaves Kotoko fifth on the league table with 35 points, increasing the pressure ahead of their next fixture — a high-stakes Super Clash against arch-rivals Hearts of Oak in Matchday 22 at the Baba Yara Stadium this weekend.
