Asante Kotoko clamped Karela United on penalty shootouts to win the NC Special Competition tier 1 final at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
A 4:1 shootouts did the magic for the Porcupine Warriors after 1:1 in regulation and have booked a chance to represent Ghana in next season’s CAF Champions League.
Asante Kotoko opened the floodgate with brilliant display, creating opportunities but all to no avail.
Isaac Hagan brilliantly saved Abdul Fatawu Shafiu’s strike from entering the back of the net in the second minutes of the fascinating encounter.
The Porcupines continued to put pressure on the Crosby Awuah Memorial lads with Jordan Opoku getting to the end of a nice build-up but his goal bound kick in the 24th minutes was blocked to corner.
The first forty-five minutes ended in a goalless with Asante Kotoko dominating possession.
Karela United returned from the tunnel with much resilience and eagerness to get the opener, which resulted in Emmanuel Osei Baffour first goal in the game.
Baffour shot Karela to the lead with a curling shot from inside the penalty box in just five minutes after returning from the break.
Coach Charles Kwablah Akonnor who was sitting on tenterhooks after his side conceded the goal, made two quick changes in the 59th minutes by replacing Kwame Bonsu Conte and experienced Jordan Opoku with young chap, Collins Amayew and former Medeama SC talisman Kwame Boahene.
The two changes brought Kotoko to the party with in-form Abdul Fatawu Shafiu restoring parity through a spot kick in the 72nd minutes.
In the 74th minutes, Akonnor brought in Songne Yacouba for Augustine Sefah to strengthen Asante Kotoko attacking line.
Emmanuel Gyamfi’s cross in the 81st minutes met Songne Yacouba but he headed the ball over the bar.
Captain Amos Frimpong had a last minute goal disallowed after the center referee spotted a hand ball in the lead-up to the defender’s strike. The ninety plus four minutes of the game ended 1:1 leading to penalty shootouts.
In the shootouts, Abdul Ishmael Ganiyu, Daniel Darkwah, Abdul Fatawu Shafiu and Naiby Keita scored for Asante Kotoko with Patrick Yeboah, Ampem Da Costa missing the shootouts for Karela United even though Agyeman Yeboah scored. Kotoko won 4:1 on shootouts.