Kumasi Asante Kotoko last Sunday drew 1-1 with Sudan’s Al Hilal Omdurman at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
A win for the Porcupine Warriors would have taken them to the quarterfinals of the competition but now they will have to beat Zambia’s Zesco United who is already out of the group to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
Albeit Al Hilal came with a plan that made it difficult for Kotoko to attack as they have done to their opponents who come to Baba Yara, there are some people who believe last Sunday’s Akwasidae had an impact on the game.
It may sound weird but it is believed is Kotoko always struggle to win or may have never won a match whenever Asanteman is celebrating Akwasidae.
The Akwasidae is celebrated once every six weeks on a Sunday and whenever the Porcupine Warriors play a match on a day the festival is celebrated, Kotoko is likely to draw or lose.
So what happened during the celebration of the festival?
Drumming, dancing and singing take place during the celebration of the festival to honour the ancestors and the gods.
The Asantehene, all the chiefs in Asanteman, traditional priests and people of Asanteman meet at the Manhyia Palace to mark the day.
Although the festival has got nothing to do with football, the way Kotoko games end during the celebration of the festival has always baffled the fans of the club.
Now the question everyone is asking is, should Kotoko postpone their matches whenever the festival is being celebrated or they should play it a day before the celebration of the festival?
by: Nana Asabere
