Opoku's double inspires Asante Kotoko in win over Liberty Professionals as Gama makes full debut

Asante Kotoko registered their biggest win of the season by a 2-0 triumph over Liberty Professionals in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) on Monday.

Kwame Opoku's first-half double sealed three points for the hosts in the matchday eight fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The result has catapulted the Porcupine Warriors to sixth on the league table, tied on points with archrivals Hearts of Oak who sit a spot above due to a better goal difference.

Liberty, meanwhile, occupy eleventh position.

The major talking point of Kotoko's team news was the presence of new Brazilian signing Fabio Gama Dos Santos for his first start for his new club.

Joining the former Brazil U17 and U21 attacker in coach Johnson Smith's starting line-up were Mubarik Yusif, Samuel Frimpong and Emmanuel Sarkodie, with Habib Mohammed and Emmanuel Gyamfi among the casualties.

Kotoko went all guns blazing from the start as Opoku set up Christopher Nettey for a first goalscoring opportunity in the second minute but the defender's final effort went wide.

In the 10th minute, the Porcupine Warriors broke the deadlock as Opoku latched on to a Gama ball inside the box, created space for himself before shooting into the net to make it 1-0.

Opoku and the Brazilian combined once again for their side's second goal in the 10th minute, the latter putting the former through on goal. Opoku then calmly slotted into the net to double the score. It was his fifth goal in six appearances so far this season, having also registered one assist.

Four minutes later, the striker almost made it a hat-trick of goals after connecting to Samuel Frimpong's shot into the penalty box but Liberty Professionals goalkeeper Kofi Baah was alert to keep the ball out of the net this time around.

At the other end in the 31st minute, Kotoko goalkeeper Razak Abalora was at hand to save a shot from inside the box to keep the score unchanged.

Back after recess, Liberty tested Abalora again in the 59th minute but the goalkeeper proved able to the task once again.

In the 72nd minute, Gama almost registered a goal of his own but goalkeeper Baah pulled off a save to deny the Brazilian who played a neat exchange with Opoku.

That was to be the last big chance of the game as the referee whistled to bring an end to the game after three minutes of injury time.