Defending champions, Asante Kotoko, ended the first round of the First Capital Plus Premier League on a good note, thrashing visiting Kpando Heart of Lions 4-0 in their match-day 15 clash at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, on Wednesday.

Ivorian import, Ahmed Toure, set the tone for the demolition exercise as he converted a spot kick in the 20th minute to give the homers the lead after Lions’ Prosper Avor brought down Latif Mohammed.

The Porcupine Warriors would double the lead two minute later and it was Prince Baffoe who scored from a rebound when Lions’ goalie, Mozart Adjetey, punched into play a close-range shot by the striker.

The visitors, sensing danger, recoiled and switched into defensive play with Asiamah Badu and Agyare Benjamin working tirelessly to thwart most efforts at goal by the marauding Kotoko attack.

The two sides came into the second half with varied strategies, but it was Kotoko who demonstrated sheer determination and tactical discipline and as the game wore on, Latif Mohammed made amends for an earlier misses with a classic goal in the 64th minute.

It was a beautiful goal by all standards and the move was initiated at the right flank by Mike Akuffu, who took the Lions’ defence on and on seeing goalie Adjetey off his lines set up Latif to nod home.

Lions’ Sackey Osman and Isaac Quansah missed narrowly two glorious scoring opportunities in the 66th and 67th minutes, respectively, after the Kotoko defence committed some blunders.

The visitors again looked threatening and nearly found the back of the net in the 69th minute, but Kotoko goalie, Isaac Amoako, parried to safety Abdul Karim’s well-taken volley.

The Porcupine Warriors sealed the doom of the visitors in the 70th minute with Emmanuel Asante fetching the fourth goal for his side in a dramatic fashion.

An unmarked Asante chanced upon a loose ball in the opponents’ goal area, rounded up two defenders and shot past advancing goalie Adjetey.