Two-time African champions, Asante Kotoko S/C, beat visiting Kano
Pillars of Nigeria 2-0 in the second leg of their CAF Champions League
preliminary tie at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, on Sunday.
The Porcupine Warriors, who have advanced to the next stage of the
competition with 4-3 goal aggregate, lost 2-3 to the visitors in the
first leg.
From the outset, Kotoko looked the more determined side, pinning
down their opponents to their own half with an all-attacking game.
The attacking trio of Emmanuel Gyamfi, Naby Keita and Patrick
Yeboah were a constant threat to the Pillars’ defensive network as they
penetrated with sublime inter-positional play.
Kotoko would set the tone for the demolition exercise with a fourth
minute strike courtesy Kelvin Andoh, whose 25-meter shot from a rebound
beat Pillars’ goalie, Suraj Ayeleso.
The homers piled up the pressure on their opponents in a bid to
increase the goal tally, and in one of their forays upfront Patrick
Yeboah nearly fetched the second goal in the 28th minute, however, his
feeble shot could not find the back of the net.
Pillars, in the last 15 minutes to end the first session,
re-strategized their tactics as they opened up the game and squared off
fiercely with their opponents.
On resumption in the second half, the Porcupine Warriors combined
speed and aggression to limit any advances by their comparatively
stronger opponents.
Pillars, however, were not perturbed and kept working hard to find
the equalizer with Rabiu Ali and Nyima and Nwagua getting close to
scoring in the 60th and 68th minutes, respectively.
Kotoko’s Gyamfi made victory certain for the homers, scoring the
second goal for his side in the 80th minute to qualify the Porcupine
Warriors to the next round of the competition.
