Asante Kotoko have booked themselves a ticket to the next round of the 2019/20 CAF Champions League after whipping Kano Pillars on Sunday afternoon.
The Porcupine Warriors progressed on a 4-3 aggregate after beating the Nigeria Premier League side 2-0 in the second leg tie at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.The Porcupine Warriors started the match on a good note as they fired the lead on the second minute to frustrate the Nigerian club.
Winger Matthew Kelvin Andoh grabbed the opener with a brilliant strike after goalkeeper Surajo Ayeleso failed to handle a shot from Richard Arthur.
The match looked very balance after the Porcupine Warriors had snatched the lead in the early minutes of the match.
On the 22nd minute, Emmanuel Anyanwu headed out a cross from Guinean international Naby Keita which resulted in a corner-kick but they failed to double the score from it.
Kano Pillars made two quick substitution in the first half as they introduced Ifeanyi Nweke and Yusuf Maigoro to replace Nzube Anaezemba and Sani Nasiru respectively.
Andoh nearly doubled the score for the Ghana Premier League giants on the 35th minute but his header from Emmanuel Gyamfi’s free-kick went wide.
Kano Pillars came close from netting the equaliser on the stroke of halftime but Felix Annan rescued the home side.
The first department of the match ended in a 1-0 victory in favor of Asante Kotoko.
Back from the break, Coach Zachariassen’s side continued to dominate the match as they were in search for the second goal.
On-loan Medeama SC midfielder Justice Blay tried his luck with a long range audacious shot on the 55th minute of the game before Naby Keita’s goal on the hour-mark was flagged offside.
The visitors, Kano Pillars gained possession as they launched several fearsome attacks to mount pressure on the back line of Asante Kotoko.
Skipper Rabiu Ali could have levelled the score for Kano Pillars on the 67th minute but his shot outside the 18-yard box went over the bar.
On the 72nd minute, Richard Arthur’s strike to extend the lead for Kotoko was denied by the woodwork.
Kotoko continued to outplayed the Kano-based club with the inclusion of Godfred Asiamah and Alexis Didi which earned them the second goal through Emmanuel Gyamfi.
Gyamfi sealed their home victory with a fine strike from Naby Keita’s set-up on the 79th minute of the game.
Ugandan international George Abege came on to replace Richard Arthur whose goal in the dying embers of match was ruled offside by the referees.
The Porcupine Warriors finished the match with ten men after Naby Keita was shown a red card after picking his second yellow card on the 94th minute.
Kotoko will now face Tunisian club Étoile Sportive du Sahel, who qualified on a 8-3 aggregate over Guinean club Hafia FC, in the next round of the 2019/20 CAF Champions League.
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