Asante Kotoko suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club at the Accra Sports Stadium in the first leg of the CAF Confederatio
Asante Kotoko suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club at the Accra Sports Stadium in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup play-off.
In a tense encounter that highlighted the Ghanaian side’s defensive resilience but also their struggles in front of goal as usual, Kotoko’s attack failed to deliver on the big stage.
The return of top striker Albert Amoah was due to be a morale booster, but much was not seen from him. Amidu, Neymar and Inusah were the playmakers behind Albert Amoah, and not much was produced from them.
Wydad’s experience helped them to calm down at the beginning of the game when the Porcupine Warriors were attacking from all angles.
Asante Kotoko looked the better of the two sides in the first half, as it ended goalless.
Wydad broke the deadlock with just two minutes into the second half, with Congolese midfielder Bakasu’s volley from Lorch’s corner kick making the difference.
Asante Kotoko’s goalkeeper Camara was shown a red card after handling the ball outside the penalty box and shoving the referee. His dismissal created a big hole in the club’s setup, which affected them immensely.
Wydad’s historic victory means that they have a huge advantage now against the Porcupine Warriors.
The second leg will be played in Casablanca, where head coach Abdul Karim Zito of Kotoko is optimistic they can also win in Morocco.
“We’ve lost [the first leg], they [Wydad] can also lose there [in Morocco].
“There are certain situations in football that are not impossible but challenging situations.
“We are now in a difficult situation, but not impossible, so fans should be patient,” Zito said.
Wydad of Morocco is optimistic of winning in the second leg.
COMMENTS