NC Special Cup: Kotoko beat Karela on penalties to lift trophy

Asante Kotoko won Normalisation Committee Special Cup on Sunday after they defeated Karela United 4-1 on penalties in the final at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

The Porcupine Warriors rallied to level the scores at 1-1 and sent the match into penalty shootouts.

Emmanuel Osei Baffour gave Kalera United the lead after 50 minutes with a curling shot from inside the penalty box.

But Kotoko fought back and equalized from the spot through Abdul Fatawu Safiu after a player was brought down inside the box.

In the 83rd minute, captain Amos Frimpong squandered a glorious opportunity to put Kotoko in the lead.

Six minutes later, the versatile defender put the ball at the back of the net but it was disallowed by the referee who claimed there was a handball in the build-up to the goal.

Burkinabe striker Naby Keita scored the winning kick after goalkeeper Osei Kwame had saved two of Karela’s kicks. 

The victory takes Kotoko into next season’s CAF Champions League.