Kotoko Royals and Inter Allies played out a 1:1 draw in their opening fixture of the First Division League Regular Season on Saturday. Both sides took to the pitch with nothing to lose and ended with one point apiece, though the table tells a different story. Home side Kotoko Royals sit sixth after their solitary game, while visitors Inter Allies occupy fifth place.
The match itself offered little drama beyond the two goals that divided the spoils. Neither team managed to find a winner, and by then you could sense both managers would be content with a point from such a fresh start. They played in driving rain at times, which made things slippery for everyone involved.
Kotoko Royals have been through better times — their recent record includes a 4:1 victory over Tamale City and a 1:3 loss to Asante Kotoko, among others. Inter Allies, meanwhile, have shown they can negotiate tight games, drawing 2:2 with Golden Warriors and narrowly losing 1:2 to Nania. Neither side has built any momentum yet, but the season is barely underway.
The standings after round one tell us very little about where things are heading. Both teams have played one match, won none, drawn one, lost none, and earned one point. That fifth-place position for Inter Allies and sixth for Kotoko Royals means nothing more than alphabetical order in a table that will shift considerably.
What matters now is how these sides respond when the novelty wears off. One mistake ends it for both teams, and neither has proven anything beyond their ability to share points in a match that could have gone either way. The captain dragged them through it, but there is still a long way to go before anyone can call this a promising start.
