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CAF CC: Kwara United fall to Ashanti Kotoko despite spirited fightback
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Kwara United suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to Ghanaian giants Ashanti Kotoko in the first leg of their 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round clash on Sunday.
The game in Accra was a rollercoaster, with both sides exchanging goals in a thrilling contest.
Emanuel Antwi opened the scoring for Kotoko in the 18th minute before Johnmark Atule levelled for the Harmony Boys, winners of the 2025 President Federation Cup.
Albert Amoah restored the Ghanaians’ advantage in the 45th minute, but Atule struck again in first-half stoppage time to ensure both sides went into the break level at 2-2.
Just two minutes into the restart, Joseph Ablorh made it 3-2 to Kotoko, and Amoah added his second of the game from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute to hand the hosts a two-goal cushion.
Kwara United, however, kept fighting and were rewarded when Abdulraheem Shola pulled one back in the 85th minute to make it 4-3, giving the Ilorin-based side three precious away goals despite the loss.
The second leg is scheduled for September 28, 2025, at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, where Kwara United will hope to overturn the deficit and seal progression to the next round.
