Benjamin Asare: The ultimate winner from Sunday’s Super Clash
The Super Clash has always been a stage where reputations are made or broken. It is a fixture that magnifies mistakes and elevates match-winners into legends. On Sunday, Benjamin Asare stepped into that spotlight and delivered a performance that will be remembered for years.
What defined his night was the authority he stamped on the Hearts defense. From the first whistle, Asare’s voice carried across the pitch, pulling teammates into position and ensuring the backline never lost its shape. Kelvin Osei-Asibey and Ali Mohammed responded to his instructions with precision, extending his influence across the defensive unit. One moment in the second half captured this perfectly: Ali Mohammed moved to close down Kwame Opoku, and Asare immediately screamed for Osei-Asibey to step forward. Within seconds, Yaw Baafi Amankwaah had adjusted too, and the defensive structure held firm.
That organization was crucial. Hearts played with ten men for nearly seventy minutes, yet they never looked exposed. Asare’s leadership kept them compact, disciplined, and unyielding.
His command was matched by his dominance in the air. Every cross that entered his six-yard box was claimed with authority. Kotoko, frustrated by his aerial assurance, tried their luck from distance. Again, Asare was equal to the challenge. The peak of Kotoko’s pressure came in the 73rd minute, but even then, he refused to be beaten. Patrick Asiedu’s fierce drive from the left was met with a fingertip save at full stretch. Earlier, Albert Amoah’s snap shot after a poor clearance was calmly dealt with. Each attempt was met with assured positioning and firm handling.
Even under Kotoko’s intense pressing, Asare’s distribution remained composed. They marked man-for-man on goal kicks, hoping to force him into long, hopeful punts. Instead, he consistently found teammates, whether through defenders, midfield outlets, or balls into space for Karikari and Wayo. Even when teammates occasionally miscontrolled, Asare’s execution was flawless.
By the end of the night, he had secured his ninth clean sheet of the season, and in the biggest fixture of them all. Among the millions watching were Black Stars coach Otto Addo and his staff, who would have taken pride in the decision made last March to entrust Asare with the national team’s gloves.
On enemy territory, under the brightest lights, and in the most unforgiving of fixtures, Benjamin Asare reminded everyone why he is Ghana’s number one.
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