Elmina Sharks ended their six games winless run in the Ghana Premier League by inflicting a first away defeat on Asante Kotoko at the Nduom Sports Stadium on Friday night.
The Sharks won the tight contest 1-0 courtesy of a second-half strike by Mustapha Alhaji. The 30-year-old scored after a brilliant counter-attack in the 55th minute.
The win is Odartey Lamptey's first as Sharks head coach. The ex-Ghana international has been in charge for seven days as he was appointed following the resignation of Yaw Acheampong.
Lamptey’s game plan worked to perfection. He decided to sit deep and play on the counter-attack, with one resulted in the goal.
Johnson Smith, who was in the opposite dugout, saw his team frustrated, especially when they were pushing for the equaliser. Sharks defended very well to claim their first three points since matchday 10.
Kotoko’s best chance of the game fell to Kwame Opoku in the first-half. The striker pounced on a loose ball, rounded the goalkeeper, but his shot was cleared off the line by the Sharks defender.
The result leaves Kotoko in the sixth position, four points behind leaders Karela United, however, the Porcupine Warriors have two outstanding games.
For Sharks, it is a huge win that sees them climb up to 13th with 20 points, five clear off the relegation zone.