Kumasi Asante Kotoko took a giant step in their first leg of their 2019/2020 CAF Champions League qualifier against Etoile Sportive du Sahel after recording a resounding victory over the one time champions at the Baba Yara sports stadium on Sunday.
Coach Kjetil Zachariassen and his charges beat The Stars 2-0 in the first leg of the preliminary stage to take a strong advantage ahead of the second leg to staged in Tunisia.
Midfielder Augustine Okrah put the home side in front just 3 minutes into the game with a nice free kick keep the qualification dream alive.
Etoile du Sahel came strongly into the game with several efforts at goal, but was denied by the Kotoko resolute defence. The two sides failed to find the net after a four minutes additional time when referee Hassan Corneh blew for recess with Kotoko leading by a goal to nil.
The Porcupine Warriors proved dominant in the second half, pressing harder for the second. Striker Richard Arthur made it 2-0 for the home side after pouncing on a shot from left back Patrick Yeboah to send goalkeeper Bdiri Makrem the wrong way.
The introduction of striker Sogne Yacouba nearly resulted in the third goal for Kotoko, but all efforts to make it 3-0 proved futile as Liberian referee Hassan Corneh blew for the end of proceedings after 90 minutes of exchanges.
Asante Kotoko will travel to Tunisia to take on Etoile in the second leg on September 28, 2019.
