Board member of Accra Hearts of Oak Thomas Kwesi Esso has congratulated Kumasi Asante Kotoko for winning the 2016 President’s Cup.

The Porcupine Warriors avenged last year’s penalty defeat in the President’s Cup by beating Hearts 3-2 on penalties to win this year’s competition.

Speaking after the game, Strategy Committee member of Accra Hearts of Oak sent his congratulations to the winners.

“On the whole, it was a very good game and a very beautiful game,” he told facebook.com/accraheartsofoak.com

“Both teams tried to play football; everybody tried to play from the back, handle the ball, possession was very important and fight for the midfield was also very important. But at the end of the day I think that Accra Hearts of Oak prevailed and did well.

“And everybody knows that when it comes to the lottery of penalty; it is anybody’s game. So I can only say that congratulations to Kumasi Asante Kotoko for winning 2016 President’s Cup and we say that they should enjoy their ride back to Kumasi.”

The Strategy Committee member believes Hearts can take consolation from the way they played despite the defeat, adding that he was disappointed the club could not win the Cup but highly satisfied with their performance.

“Well, if there was any team to score in 90 minutes, then it was Accra Hearts of Oak,” he opined. “We created the better chances; one of the chances, we took out the goalkeeper only that the player could not shoot into the net. In the second half, the same thing also happened, “me-and-you” against the goalkeeper – so if there’s anybody to win the game in 90 minutes, then it was Accra Hearts of Oak.

"But that is football for you; you can create all the chances but if you do not bury, then you are at the mercy of losing when it comes to penalty. I will say that congratulation to them once again.”

He continued: “If you think about the fact that we have a new coach, who is trying to build a new team all together and then to build a team that can possess the ball; I will say that even though the loss is very painful, the progress of the team is so encouraging that we can only hope for the better.

"So even though I am disappointed that we have lost the cup, I am satisfied that the team played very well by trying to do what the coaches were asking them to do so I can only wish Accra Hearts of Oak the better luck the next time.”

He also urged the fans to continue with their support for the team and the new coach and revealed his optimism in the players.

“Well, the fans should keep trusting in the team, in the head coach, the new coach, and I think they should also keep trusting in the boys,” Esso stated.

“I know the boys are going to deliver, they are well motivated and determined that they should deliver. So I know that definitely, they will deliver. I can only ask them as supporters that they should always be at the stadium to support the team so that the team can feel the energy so that they can go ahead to give them what they also desire.”

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