Asante Kotoko interim coach Karim Zito has dismissed responsibility for his team’s persistent goal-scoring struggles following a 0-0 draw against Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League on Sunday, May 12, 2025.
The result leaves Kotoko five points behind league leaders GoldStars with five matches remaining, severely denting their title ambitions.
Kotoko, who have scored just seven goals in their last 10 league matches, failed to convert multiple chances despite fielding top scorers Albert Amoah and Kwame Opoku. Substitute Saaka Dauda came closest in the second half, firing wide from a tight angle. The stalemate extended Kotoko’s streak of scoring one or fewer goals per game since March.
“Putting the ball in the net is the ability and capability of the player. We teach them how to score,” Zito said post-match, emphasizing individual accountability. Since taking charge two weeks ago, he has prioritized finishing drills in training, stating, “Every match we play, we rehearse in training. I do finishing, finishing. We create chances now it’s up to the players to convert.”
Kotoko’s scoring woes have left them as the lowest-scoring side among the league’s top four, netting 24 goals in 25 games. Zito, appointed after the dismissal of former coach Prosper Ogum, acknowledged the issue but insisted progress is imminent. “The next game you’ll see improvements,” he said, though supporters remain skeptical after Sunday’s toothless display.
The Porcupine Warriors face a critical test against fourth-placed Berekum Chelsea on May 18, needing a win to revive fading title hopes. With GoldStars facing mid-table Medeama SC, Kotoko’s margin for error is slim.
Hearts of Oak, meanwhile, climbed to eighth with the draw, though their own playoff aspirations remain distant. Kotoko’s management has yet to comment on Zito’s remarks, but pressure mounts on the interim boss to reverse the team’s fortunes swiftly.
