Kotoko seek to end 11-Year hoodoo as bogey side Lions visit Kumasi

Asante Kotoko will this afternoon look to shake off one of the most stubborn hoodoos in the Ghana Premier League when they host Heart of Lions at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, with history firmly stacked against the Porcupine Warriors.

Kotoko’s last victory over the Kpando-based side came on 29th April 2015, a comprehensive 4-0 win inside their own fortress, with goals from Ahmed Toure, Prince Baffoe, Latif Amadu and Emmanuel Asante.

That result is now eleven years and five months old, and in the time since, Lions have made a habit of frustrating the Reds whenever the two sides have met.

Since that 2015 rout, Heart of Lions have picked up four wins and three draws against Kotoko, a run that includes a 3-1 victory over the Porcupine Warriors just last season.

The record has turned Lions into arguably Kotoko’s most uncomfortable opponent in the local league over the past decade, and it is a tag the Kumasi giants will be desperate to shed when the two teams walk out this afternoon.

For a club of Kotoko’s stature and ambitions, being unable to beat a side of Lions’ standing for over a decade is an anomaly many within the club’s fanbase have long wanted corrected.

Today presents another opportunity, and pressure will be on the home side to finally get the better of their bogey team in front of their own supporters.

Beyond the action on the pitch, today has been earmarked as a special occasion for the Kotoko faithful.

The club has designated the fixture “Red Day”, rolling out a welcome-back package for supporters returning to the stadium.

Fans who turn up dressed in red will be granted free entry into the red and green stands, provided the outfit is a Kotoko jersey or any red clothing that does not belong to a foreign club.

The club was explicit on this point, ruling out red shirts belonging to overseas teams as qualifying attire for the free entry offer.

For supporters who prefer the more premium sections of the stadium, tickets to the VIP stand have been priced at 100 cedis, while access to the yellow stand goes for 30 cedis.

The initiative appears designed to boost attendance and rally support behind a Kotoko side that will need every ounce of backing as they attempt to break a psychological barrier that has stood since 2015.

A big crowd draped in red could provide the extra push required to finally topple a team that has had their number for so long.

Kick-off is set for this afternoon at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium at 3 pm, with all eyes on whether Kotoko can finally rewrite a script that has not favoured them for more than a decade, or whether Heart of Lions will once again leave Oseikrom with their unwanted record over the Porcupine Warriors intact.