Karim Zito: “We’re not going there as losers; we can also go and win”
Asante Kotoko face an uphill task in their CAF Confederation Cup campaign after falling 1-0 to Moroccan powerhouse Wydad Athletic Club in the first leg of the second preliminary round at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The result gives the visitors a slender advantage ahead of the return leg in Casablanca, where the aggregate winner will progress directly to the group stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup.
The opening 45 minutes provided an evenly matched contest, with both sides creating chances but failing to convert. Kotoko’s midfield combination pressed high and moved the ball with purpose, yet they found Wydad’s defensive line difficult to break.
The breakthrough came just moments after the restart when Congolese forward Joseph Bakasu Banka pounced on a deep corner delivery, smashing home to hand Wydad the lead in the 47th minute. The Red Castles then managed the game efficiently, holding off Kotoko’s late surge to secure the crucial away win.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Kotoko head coach Karim Zito admitted the result was disappointing but remained optimistic about his side’s chances in the return leg.
“If someone had told me we will lose the game, I wouldn’t have believed based on our preparations but it’s football.
It’s two legs, we have just played one. They won here so we can also go and win. We’re currently in a very difficult situation but it doesn’t mean overturning the score to qualify isn’t possible.
We’re not going there as losers, we’re going there to play better than we did here.”
Asante Kotoko will now travel to Morocco for the decisive second leg on Friday, October 24, at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, aiming to overturn the deficit and secure qualification to the lucrative group stage.
