Defending champions, Asante Kotoko, struggled to beat bottom-placed BA United 4-2 in their First Capital Plus Premier League Match-Day 28 fixture at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, on Sunday.

The Porcupine Warriors, in spite of carrying the day, were taken through some scary moments and at a point looked like ending in a draw until substitute Richard Mpong scored two late goals to hand the homers a vital victory.

Kotoko, following this feat, now moves to the third position on the log on 42 points.

Skipper Amos Frimpong, voted man of the match, would take the lead for Kotoko when he soared above the opponents’ defence to connect home an Eric Donkor well-taken corner kick in the 17th minute.

Nine minutes later, the Porcupine Warriors initiating a move on the right flank which saw Frimpong lay a pass to an unmarked Obed Owusu, and without hesitation the striker unleashed a thunderbolt from his unfavourite left foot to beat goalie Lawrence Osei.

BA United came back strongly in the second half and dictated the pace of the game in the early stages with good tactical display, drawing applauds from the spectators.

Abdul Karim Jabla scored a beautiful goal in the 63rd minute to put his side back into the game, and the visitors would go ahead to level the scoring on 75th minutes courtesy Abdul Wahab.

Wahab, who was lurking in the vital area, stunned the homers as he finished off a rebound after Kotoko's goalkeeper, Joe Addo, punched substitute Alex Asamoah’s thunderbolt into play.

Kotoko who were given a rude awakening at this stage of the game, threw caution to the wind and marshaled more men in attack to score two late goals by substitute Mpong in the 79th and 81st minutes.