I Have Doubts About The Penalty Awarded Kotoko – Coach Mariano Barreto
Asante Kotoko head coach, Mariano Barreto has raised concerns about referee Jacob Aduntera’s decision to award a penalty to his team in their game against Karela United in their match-day 30 game at the Len Clay Stadium on Wednesday.
Kotoko defeated their opponents at their adopted home by 2-1 after their first goal from Evans Adomako was ruled offside.
However, minutes later, Captain Emmanuel Gyamfi scored the opener in the 23rd minute. But the visitors responded with an equalizer in the second half after Richard Berko scored a goal which the Porcupines contended to be offside.
But the Porcupines were later gifted a penalty by referee Aduntera after Evans Adomako went down softly when he clashed with Karela’s goalkeeper.
Brazilian midfielder, Fabio Gama, scored from the spot to ensure Kotoko earned the maximum three points to go top of the table with Hearts of Oak having a game in hand.
But speaking after the game, Mariano Barreto expressed his frustrations about the referee’s decisions.
He said, “We scored 2 goals but I don’t know why one is not valid, I have information that it’s a clear goal. So 2 goals came to 1-0 but [in the] second half, I had many doubts about the goal of Karela, even I have doubts about the penalty. I should be clear about this.
“But I think we have to accept the results because we are the clear winners because we’re the best team in the match…” Barreto said after the game.