A member of Asante Kotoko advanced party to Abidjan ahead of the team’s arrival on Friday, Nana Gyambibi Coker has confirmed in an interview with Fox FM that they’ve not seen any signs of a plot by their Confederation Cup opponents FC San Pedro to inflict harm on the Kotoko contingent and their supporters as messages received from persons believed to San Pedro fans earlier suggested.
The Porcupine Warriors struggled to beat the Orange boys by a solitary goal margin in the first leg of the Confederation Cup play off between the two clubs in Kumasi, Ghana. San Pedro held Kotoko a goalless score line for the entire duration of the 90 minutes, but eventually lost the match by a lone goal, thanks to a late penalty converted by Naby Keita which the Ivorian side wrongly awarded by the South African referee Eugene Nkosinathi Mdlule.
Officials of Asante Kotoko have claimed receiving threatening messages from unidentified persons believed to be supporters of FC San Pedro, a situation which has left most supporters traveling to the Ivorian capital to support Kotoko reconsidering their decision.
However, Nana Gyambibi Coker, Special Assistant to Asante Kotoko Executive Chairman Dr. Kwame Kyei, who is a member of the two-member delegation who arrived in Abidjan on Thursday to prepare the grounds for the team’s arrival, has provided a message of relieve to the Kotoko traveling supporters, saying no signs of intimidation nor plans to intimidate or manhandle the traveling fans has been seen since their arrival.
“I can tell you that since we arrived (on Thursday) there is nothing or no signs in the atmosphere that indicate that they (FC San Pedro) are plotting against us or rise against us”, Nana Coker stated, speaking to Fox FM.
He is however unable to determine whether there will be any harassment after and so warns they are being vigilant.
“But as we know every human being and how they approach issues, so however it is, once they’ve said certain things to us it means we have to beware”, he cautioned.
According to Nana Coker, the Ivorian embassy has assured them of enough security for Kotoko before, during and after the match on Sunday, but advised them to comport themselves throughout.
FC San Pedro will host Asante Kotoko for the second leg of the Confederation Cup play off on Sunday in Abidjan at 3:00pm
