Kumasi Asante Kotoko Champions League opponents Kano Pillars skipper Ali Rabiu has admitted they were stunned to see Kotoko score two goals against them at the Sani Abacha stadium in Kano, but insists his side will do exactly the same when they visit the Baba Yara sports stadium on Sunday for the reverse fixture.
The Nigerian premier league giants trailed Kotoko by 2-1 at their own backyard after dropping first blood against the Porcupines, but fought back to snatch a 3-2 slim victory after 90 minutes in the first leg of the Champions League preliminary stage.
Asante Kotoko will host Kano Pillars on Sunday where they will start the game with one goal deficit with the aim of keeping a clean sheet or winning the match to secure qualification ahead of their Nigerian counterparts. However, captain for Kano Pillars Ali Rabiu has sounded caution to Kotoko that they are coming to score in Kumasi and he will personally be on the scoresheet.
“We never expected Kotoko to score two goals Kano but that is the nature of the game”, Rabiu told Fox FM in an interview.
The 33-year old midfielder was confident of scoring against Kotoko. “The same way they scored in Kano we will also score in Kumasi. For me I go into matches with the mentality to score and trust me, I will score in Kumasi on Sunday”, Rabiu assured.
Regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever players, Rabiu has seen it all in the game and, as an experienced player in the Nigerian Professional Football League, he is unfazed by how vociferous or charging the atmosphere will be at the Baba Yara sports stadium.
A cacophony of deafening chants from the numerous fans of Kotoko usually leave even great clubs confused and tensed during matches against Kotoko at the Baba Yara stadium, but the mercurial midfielder insists Kano Pillars will not be affected in anyway by that.
“Our supporters travel with us everywhere we go, but we are not even thinking about the fans of at all. We shall not be affected by the atmosphere because we are used to it. We know there are Kano people in Ghana and we will send them invitation to the stadium even before we arrive, we are just focused on the game”, Rabiu maintained.
The match has been scheduled to kick off on Sunday at 3:00pm at the Baba Yara sports stadium.
