Ghana Premier League (GPL) giants Kumasi Asante Kotoko were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League preliminary round game against Mauritanian side FC Nouadhibou at the Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya in Nouakchott, Mauritania on Sunday 29th September 2020.
The Porcupine Warriors started the game brightly as forward Osman Ibrahim gave the Ghanaian side an early lead in the 5th minute burying an Emmanuel Gyamfi pass on the edge of the penalty box into the right bottom corner of the Ligue 1 Mauritania champions goal.
Le Club Orange would bring the match back level in the 22nd minute through a Hemeya Tanjy spot kick after Yussif Mubarik was deemed to have handled the ball in the box by Malian referee Gaousou Kane during a one-on-one tackle.
8 minutes to half-time, Kotoko would come close to restoring their lead but the FC Nouadhibou goalkeeper rushed out promptly to collect the ball after Imoro Ibrahim put Godfred Asiamah in a one-on-one situation with the shot-stopper.
With the match on level terms at the break Kotoko Head Coach, Maxwell Konadu brought on Evans Adomako and Muniru Sulley in the 46th minute to replace goal scorer Osman Ibrahim and Emmanuel Keyekeh, who picked up injuries at the death of the first half.
The Porcupine Warriors would continue to have chances in the second half but would fail to make them count as the referee brought proceedings to an end.
The two teams will meet for the second leg of the match on Wednesday 6th December 2020, with the aggregate winners progressing to the next round of the competition where they will face off against either Al Hilal SFC of Sudan or Ugandan outfit Vipers SC.
