Asante Kotoko's assistant coach, David Ocloo, has openly attributed their 2-1 loss to ASEC Mimosas in the 2024 President's Cup to the team's excessive respect for their Ivorian adversaries.

The Porcupine Warriors faced a setback with two early goals in the first half at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, marking their second consecutive defeat in the President's Cup following last year's loss to rivals Hearts of Oak.

Ocloo expressed the team's disappointment and humbly appealed for forgiveness from supporters, underlining their initial aim to bring honor to Ghana.

"It is very disappointing, and hard to take, we planned to make Ghana proud today.

They should forgive us. We respected them too much in the first half. Our second half was very good," remarked Ocloo.

The Ivorian giants exhibited a proactive and determined performance in the opening half, securing two pivotal goals that established the tone for their victory in the special match held as part of Ghana's 67th Independence Day festivities.

Despite a more spirited showing from Asante Kotoko in the latter half, they couldn't overturn the deficit, prompting introspection on the tactical approach employed in the initial stages of the encounter.

As Kotoko, currently occupying the second spot on the Ghana Premier League log, regroup for an upcoming clash against Karela United on Saturday afternoon, Ocloo's acknowledgment of the team's shortcomings offers insight into their dedication to learning from the experience and implementing necessary adjustments.