Asante Kotoko interim head coach Hamza Obeng has admitted the club endured a disappointing campaign following their 2-1 defeat to Swedru All Blacks on the final day of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The Porcupine Warriors ended the season on a sour note as the newly promoted side fought back from a goal down to secure a crucial victory that guaranteed their survival in the top flight.
The result also deepened frustrations among the Kotoko faithful after a campaign that failed to match the standards expected of the 25-time Ghana Premier League champions.
Kotoko looked on course to finish the season positively after taking the lead before halftime through an own goal by All Blacks defender Clement Tutu.
The Kumasi-based side controlled large spells of the opening half and appeared determined to hand their supporters something to cheer about after months of inconsistency.
However, the visitors returned from the break with renewed determination and grabbed the equalizer through Rudolf Mensah just eleven minutes into the second half. William Danquah later completed the comeback with the winning goal that silenced the Baba Yara Stadium and handed Swedru All Blacks a famous away victory.
Kotoko were handed a golden chance to rescue a point late in the game after winning a penalty, but captain Samba O’Neil Gilbani failed to convert from the spot as his effort was saved, allowing the visitors to hold on for the vital win.
Hamza Obeng Reflects On Difficult Spell And Kotoko’s Poor Campaign
Speaking after the match, interim coach Hamza Obeng openly acknowledged that the season had fallen below the expectations associated with a club of Kotoko’s stature and that they should have at least secured all three points against All Blacks. “ I would say it’s very bad at least we should have gotten a win to make our fans happy,” Obeng admitted during his post-match press conference.
The interim trainer further described the campaign as a poor one and stressed the need for better preparation going into next season. “Well I would say it was a poor season from the team and it’s part of the game which when it happens like this you need to bring your teams very well and then make good preparation towards the coming season,” he said.
Obeng also sympathized with the supporters who continued to follow the club throughout the season despite the disappointing results.
“First of all, from day one, you see everywhere that we go, you see them there. It’s not easy at all being a supporter, following a team and the team is not giving you results.”
Hamza Obeng
The coach urged the fans to remain patient and hopeful despite the setbacks suffered this season. “That is something difficult but once you are a supporter you need to understand the game when things get hard you need to exercise patience. Definitely things will change,” he added.
Obeng concluded by apologizing to the supporters and promising improved preparations ahead of the next campaign. “So I’ll say we are very sorry then hopefully coming season there will be a lot of preparations which will help the team,” he continued.
Obeng Endured a Torrid Time At The Helm
The erstwhile assistant coach at rival Hearts of Oak, who was the youth coach at Kotoko was placed in temporary charge of the club after Coach Prince Yaw Owusu left his role before the end of the season when he was also placed on interim basis.
However, the interim coach endured a difficult spell in the dugout, managing only one win in four matches. His only victory came in a 2-0 triumph over Eleven Wonders, while the team suffered defeats in the other three matches under his leadership.
Kotoko eventually finished the league campaign in tenth place with 46 points, their lowest finish in recent years and a significant disappointment for a club accustomed to competing for titles and continental places.
Ironically, Swedru All Blacks, whose victory at the Baba Yara secured their survival, ended the season just one point behind Kotoko and only one place below them in the league standings, underlining how difficult the campaign proved for the Porcupine Warriors.
The club’s struggles throughout the season saw them lose momentum in the title race early, while inconsistency, managerial changes and disappointing home performances ultimately left supporters frustrated.
For Swedru All Blacks, however, the final day victory represented a remarkable achievement in their fight against relegation.
Their spirited second-half display against one of Ghana’s biggest clubs ensured they preserved their Ghana Premier League status in dramatic fashion.
Attention will now turn to Kotoko’s rebuilding process ahead of next season, with supporters expected to demand major improvements both on and off the pitch after a campaign widely viewed as one of the club’s most disappointing in recent memory.
READ ALSO: Senegal President Dismisses Prime Minister, Dissolves Government
