Capital City Cup: Two Asante Kotoko players abscond in USA

Two Sudanese players of Asante Kotoko, AbdoelKarem Yagoub and Esmat Abdulhamid, who travelled to the USA for a friendly against DC United, have reportedly absconded from the team’s hotel.

Kotoko were expected to play Major League Soccer side, DC United on Saturday 12th October, 2024 after beating Hearts of Oak in the Democracy Cup.

This annual ceremonial match is organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the GFA and part of the Ghana Week DC 2024 festivities.

Seven players; AbdoelKarem Yagoub, Esmat Abdulhamid, Samba O’Neil, Emmanuel Antwi, Elvis Kyei Baffour, Camara Mohammed and Justice Blay had already traveled to the USA with head coach Dr Prosper Ogum Narteh with the hope that, the remaining players will be given visas to join the team in the USA.

However, after last-minute efforts to secure visas for the remaining contingent were unsuccessful, the club released a statement on Thursday, confirming their withdrawal from the competition.

The statement further indicated that the contingent that had already embarked on the trip were set to return on Sunday, October 13.

According to Luv Sports sources, on Friday night, club officials discovered that the two Sudanese players were not in the team hotel and efforts to locate them have so far proven futile.

The players had earlier sought permission to go and change money but their request was declined.

CCTV footage revealed the players had snuck out of the team’s hotel with no news on their whereabouts.

Officials of the team in the USA are currently searching for them to ensure their safe return.