In their quest to defend the Ghana Premier League title, Asante Kotoko SC faced a setback on Sunday night as they were held to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Tamale City.
The Ghanaian newcomers put up a spirited performance, earning a valuable point from the match played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Kotoko's interim coach Abdulai Gazale made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Great Olympics midweek, while City's Mohammed Hamza made a couple of alterations to the team that thrashed Hearts of Oak 4-1 in Tamale.
Despite Kotoko taking the lead through a stunning strike from Rocky Dwanema, Tamale City equalized a few minutes later through Mohammed Yahaya, taking advantage of a defensive mishap. Substitute Godfred Abban came close to scoring the winner for Tamale City, hitting the framework with a shot from outside the box.
Kotoko remains in sixth position on the league standings with 43 points from 29 matches, seven points behind leaders Aduana Stars, who have a game in hand.
Despite the draw, Tamale City find themselves back in the relegation zone, but their recent results against the top two teams in the league provide hope in their battle against the drop.
