Asante Kotoko head coach Eric Tinkler has urged his players to remain focused on the things they can control as they prepare to face FC Samartex 1996 in the Ghana Premier League.
The Porcupine Warriors will travel to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena on Sunday, September 20, for a difficult Week 3 encounter, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00pm.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Tinkler acknowledged the long journey to Samreboi but insisted that his players must not allow the distance to affect their mentality ahead of the important fixture.
“As I said, the players, you know, we need to think about focusing on the controllable. We can’t control the fact that the trip is going to be a very, very long trip. That’s just a fact and we have to accept it. But we’ve got to try and make the best of it,” Tinkler said.
The South African coach also admitted that Samartex will provide a major test for his side, particularly with the home advantage.
He believes Kotoko must approach the match with positive football, intensity and energy if they want to compete effectively.
“Our actions will determine the result. If we go there and play a brand of football that is positive, with good intensity and a lot of energy, then we can compete against them,” he added.
Kotoko enter the match with four points from their opening two league games, having defeated Hearts of Lions 2-1 before drawing 2-2 with Debibi United.
Samartex, meanwhile, have made a perfect start to the campaign, winning both of their opening matches. They defeated Karela United 3-1 before recording a 1-0 victory over Aduana Stars.
Recent meetings between the two clubs have also produced closely contested encounters. According to the Ghana Premier League record shown in the fixture graphic, Samartex defeated Kotoko 1-0 in the 2023/24 season, while the teams drew 1-1 in 2024/25 and 0-0 in 2025/26. Kotoko won the earlier 2022/23 meeting 2-1 away from home.
Tinkler says Kotoko must respect their opponents but remain focused on their own objectives.
“The mindset needs to be a positive mindset. Go there and look to try and get ourselves to the top by securing a win against them. But know that it’s going to be a tough game. Show them some respect, but at the same time, it’s all about ourselves.”
