It has been a sad weekend for Ghana football after the nation’s only two
representatives in the 2019/2020 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup
competitions, Asante Kotoko and Ashantigold respectively were edged out of both
continental competitions after losing to their respective opponents in the
return legs of the qualifiers.
Ashantigold SC, Ghana’s sole representative in this season’s Confederation
Cup failed to advance to the round 16 of the qualifiers after losing 2-0 to RS
Berkane in Morocco on Saturday during the second leg fixture. The Miners
recorded a slim victory over Berkane in the first leg with a 3-2 victory at the
Obuasi Len Clay sports stadium, hoping to secure a draw or win in the reverse
fixture, but an early red card to Musah Mohammed in the 8th minute of the first
half, coupled with other circumstances made it impossible as the Miners were
beaten by 2-0 by their Moroccan counterparts to edge them out with a 4-3
aggregate over the two legs.
Elsewhere in Monastir, Tunisia, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, representing Ghana in
the Champions League gave away a 2-0 first leg lead after conceding 3-0 after
full time play against Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the second leg of the final
round of the qualifiers.
Egyptian referee Ibrahim awarded a ghost penalty against the Porcupine
Warriors in the first half after 20 minutes of play, which would be converted
by Mortadha Ben Ouanes to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Efforts from both Kotoko and Etoiled produced no further goals till after
half time, when striker Karim Aribi bagged a brace to make it 3-0 against
Kotoko to qualify The Stars to the group stage of this year’s Champions League
campaign at the expense of Kotoko.
Etoile were reduced to 10 men with about 10 minutes to end proceedings with
the score at 2-2 on aggregate, but Asante Kotoko Norwegian coach Kjetil
Zachariassen and his men failed to make use of the numerical advantage and went
ahead to give away a third goal as Karim Aribi’s header was too much for Felix
Annan.
In effect, Ashantigold SC are completely out of the Confederation Cup
competition while Asante Kotoko have now dropped from the Champions League to
the Confederations Cup hoping to make amends as they target the trophy.
