Asante Kotoko head coach Abdul Karim Zito has silenced critics after steering the Porcupine Warriors to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bibiani Gold Stars in the Champion of Champions clash at Duns Park.
The win provided much-needed relief for Kotoko, who endured a disastrous outing in the GHALCA Top 4 tournament, where they lost all three matches to Gold Stars, Heart of Lions, and Hearts of Oak. That run left them bottom of the table and drew heavy criticism from fans ahead of the new season’s curtain-raiser.
Reflecting on the team’s poor showing in the Top 4, Zito attributed the struggles to a congested schedule that left his players drained compared to rivals who had enjoyed more rest after the league campaign.
“I told you before, the GHALCA Tournament, the timing was very bad for us, not for the other clubs,” Zito explained. “When you look at our schedules, immediately after the league we played the FA Cup, the President’s Cup, and then we travelled. During this period, the other clubs were resting.”
The coach further admitted that Kotoko went into the Top 4 still in the early stages of pre-season preparations, which contributed to defensive errors and sluggish displays.
“We were in the basic phase of pre-season when we started playing matches. So, I wasn’t expecting too much from my boys. Most of the goals we conceded came from minor mistakes or set-pieces, which shows the teams were not fully ready. By the time we played Hearts of Oak in the final match, you could see my boys were beginning to find their rhythm,” he noted.
Despite the setbacks, Zito never lost faith in his squad, a belief that paid off in the Champion of Champions triumph over Gold Stars.
“I told them, look, I trust you, I know what you can do. We can go and win the Champion of Champions here. And there’s one thing I kept saying: you can’t beat Zito twice. That, I am sure of,” he declared confidently.
The victory lifts pressure off the new Kotoko boss and gives the Porcupine Warriors a morale-boosting start to the campaign, signaling their intent to challenge strongly for trophies this season.
