Local pride is the main reason, fans of both clubs see each other at school, work and sometimes even in the same family every day. When your club has won it is much easier to go to school or work the day after the game to boast about your team's victory.
Derby matches are often very difficult to predict as they are usually played at a very fast pace with lots of tackles and fouls. In every derby match, you will see lots of passion from fans and players as two local rivals go head to head for victory.
King Faisal face their City rivals on Match Day 4 of the 2022/23 betpawa Ghana Premier League – a game the eyes of footballing fans in Ghana will be firmly fixed at the Baba Yara sports at 6pm.
Going into this game, King Faisal have won five times in their past 18 meetings with Asante Kotoko. King Faisal are yet to win a game in the betpawa Premier league after match day 3 and they in the 18th position of Premier League and they are in contention for Relegation. This is not the start they expected after having a good run last season, one major issue they’ve encountered this season is losing some of their most important players to other clubs without replacing them.
On the other hand, Porcupine Warriors new coach Seydou Zerbo will have a first taste of the Local derby and much is expected from the tactician. Winning two out their last four games in all competitions, they currently sit 11th in the Premier league.
In matches like this players decide to rise to the occasion, now talking about players to watch is Kotoko’s new boy Eric Zeze. The Ivorian has been instrumental to this set up, he has been collecting a lot plenty of press clippings since a foreigner has settled so easily in the league and a seemingly inherent ability to find space and give key passes. But the sad news from their camp is they will miss their shot-stopper Ibrahim Danlad who is out for international duty.
On the side of King Faisal, the player to watch is Yahaya Baba. He is a teenager with great potential and he is the player Kotoko have to keep a close eyes on.
Going into this game, a win for King Faisal will give them their first 3 points in this season’s league and a win for Kotoko will give them consecutive win against their neighbors.
Emmanuel Otoo has been chosen to officiate the Kumasi Derby and he will be assisted by Emmanuel Dolagbanu, Gabriel Boateng and Abdul Latif Qadiri as the fourth assistant.
The coaches and players will be scrutinised, the fans will be fervent and the neutrals will be enraptured. King Faisal vs Asante Kotoko, a big game indeed, let’s see who carry the day.
By: Gideon Amoah
