Kotoko deputy coach Godwin Ablordey has blasted referee Samuel Suker for bad officiating in their 1-0 loss to bitterest rivals Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Porcupine Warriors were brought to their knees by Hearts of Oak following an 83rd minute penalty by Vincent Atinga in the first leg of the Super Clash. Referee Suker pointed to the spot in the 82nd minute when Samuel Yeboah’s shot hit Kotoko defender Ahmed Adams at the back when he went very low to block the ball.
Many have accused the referee for awarding what wasn’t a penalty but Ablordey think Suker intentionally came to the field with his score line.
“I have just watched the replay. It wasn’t a penalty. The way referees are officiating in Ghana, they will always take our game back,” Ablordey blasted. “Am even surprised Joseph Lamptey was the fourth referee.
This is a man who went to South Africa, a ball hits a player in the thigh and he awards a penalty. He was handed a three months ban and here he is on the touchline in such a big game.
“I want everyone to go and watch the ball again. If it is a penalty, fair enough but if it is not, we all know the kind of referees we have,” he added. The former Kotoko skipper argued that his side had the upper hand over their rivals but the referee decided to swing the win in favour of the Phobians.
“We dominated Hearts and were fighting for the winner when that happened. He was not fair to us at all either than that anyone who watched the game will agree with me that we played better than Hearts,” he noted.
The win has ended the dominance of Kotoko over Hearts in Accra since 2009 in a dramatic fashion.