Asante Kotoko head coach Karim Zito has expressed disappointment after the Porcupine Warriors suffered a surprise defeat to Heart of Lions in the Ghana Premier League.
Kotoko were beaten at the Kpando Sports Stadium on Saturday in their Matchday 21 fixture, as the hosts put up an impressive display to claim all three points.
Goals from Asante Seedorf Afful, Fawzi Ali and Michael Ephson secured a commanding victory for Heart of Lions, with Samba O’Neil grabbing a late consolation for the Kumasi-based side.
Speaking after the match, Zito admitted the result came as a shock, despite thorough preparations ahead of the encounter.
“This is football. I honestly was not expecting this scoreline because we prepared very well for the game,” Zito said.
The Kotoko coach attributed the defeat to lapses in defending set-pieces, even though his side had worked extensively on them in training.
“Most of the goals we conceded came from set-pieces. We worked a lot on defending and attacking set-pieces in training, so maybe today was just one of those days,” he added.
The loss leaves Asante Kotoko fifth on the league table with 35 points. They will aim to bounce back in Matchday 22 when they host rivals Hearts of Oak at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday.
