Despite winning the 2011/2012 Glo Premier League with four games to spare, Kotoko will this afternoon seek to stretch the gap between them and second placed team Ashantigold, when they engage sinking Heart of Lions at the Kpando Park in the 27th week fixture. Kotoko have not yet been declared champions by the Premier League Board (PLB) – organizers of the competition.

However, with four matches to end the season, the team has taken a sovereign 15-point lead which makes it impossible for the second positioned team which has 41 points to overtake them. Besides extending their unassailable lead, Kotoko camp news has it that the team has resolved to win the four matches left in order to pick the winning bonuses tied to wins in the competition.

Team Manager, Godwin Ablordey made this disclosure when he spoke to Kotoko Express on Sunday after the team’s drab goalless draw game at home to relegation threatened side, Berekum Arsenal. “This is our profession. We are good professionals and every good professional looks for fame and good money. At this stage, we have the fame. We have to continuing winning to claim the winning bonuses” said the Team Manager.

Kotoko’s resolve is to stretch the points’ gap and also take the mouthwatering winning bonuses at stake. It is worth noting that the team has a lot of convincing work to do not really to make the struggling Lions docile but to also lift their supporters’ morale, which went down significantly at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in the 0-0 draw against Berekum Arsenal.

Most Kotoko supporters went home disappointed because the fabulous lads could not deepen the woes of the relegation threatened, Berekum Arsenal, a team with notoriety for intimidation especially at the Golden City Park.

Thus supporters in Kumasi are not impressed with the team’s performance but signals picked by Kotoko Express from the Volta Region indicate that Kotoko fans in that region will throng the Kpando Park. Spokesman for the Ho Circle 6, Gabriel Kokroko who has been speaking to Kotoko Express on phone since last week, disclosed that their members have organized themselves well for the game though they fear the usual thrills, action and tension that characterize Heart of Lions-Kotoko matches at the Kpando Park could be absent or minimal.

It is worth restating that Kotoko will play more for pride but the Lions must win to avoid sliding into the relegation zone. The Lions are 12th on table with 28 points – two more than Berekum Arsenal who are third from bottom.  The plight of the Lions has been worsening every week. The outcomes in their last three matches for example have been nothing good. They lost 1-5 to Liberty in Accra; 0-3 to Aduana Stars at Kpando and 0-1 to All Stars at Wa last Sunday.

In addition, they have lost four matches at home in the second round. It is therefore vital to note that Kotoko are going to Kpando at a time that the once dreaded lions’ den has almost become a good, comfort zone for most clubs. With fatigue being seen in the Kotoko team, Coach Maxwell Konadu could rest more of his regular players while giving places to his non-regular playing staff.

It however remains to be seen if the considerably battered Heart of Lions side can battle Kotoko’s second string side, incase Coach Maxwell Konadu settles on that. In sum, Kotoko’s primary aim in Kpando today will be to protect their reputation but for the Lions their fight may have nothing to do immediately with their image but rather a win to lift their dwindling fortunes.