Two Asante Kotoko players, fled from their hotel rooms in USA after the team’s match with America’s DC United scheduled for October 12, 2024 was called off.
The two players, AbdoelKarem Yagoub and Esmat Abdulhamid, both Sudanese nationals snuck out of the team’s hotel with no news on their whereabouts. Fortunately, CCTV footage revealed the players leaving the hotel room, this was after the players were refused permission to go and change money.
Kotoko were expected to play Major League Soccer side, DC United on Saturday 12th October, 2024 after beating Hearts of Oak in the Democracy Cup.
This annual ceremonial match is organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the GFA and part of the Ghana Week DC 2024 festivities.
Seven players, including AbdoelKarem Yagoub and Esmat Abdulhamid, were already in the USA with head coach Dr Prosper Ogum Narteh, waiting on the remaining players to receive their visas to join the team in the USA. This however did not happen as the other players were denied visas, leading to the match being cancelled.
The team’s officials in the USA are currently undertaking a search for these two players.