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Kotoko shocked by Burkinabe club Kadiogo in CAF Champions League / Photo: Khaled DESOUKI - AFP
Kotoko shocked by Burkinabe club Kadiogo in CAF Champions League
Twice former champions Asante Kotoko of Ghana were shocked by Rail Kadiogo of Burkina Faso on Sunday in the CAF Champions League preliminary round.
Kadiogo, who trailed 1-0 after the first leg six days ago, won the return match 1-0 in Ghana, and the subsequent penalty shootout 3-1 to reach the final qualifying round during October.
Although Kotoko last won the competition in 1983, when it was called the African Cup of Champions Clubs, they were not expected to experience much difficulty in overcoming Kadiogo.
Neither Kadiogo, nor any other Burkinabe club, have reached the group phase of the premier African club competition in 50 previous attempts since 1967.
Now, Kadiogo will face V Club from the Democratic Republic of Congo knowing overall victory will secure them a place in Burkinabe football folklore.
Beaten by an added-time Isaac Oppong goal in the first leg, Kadiogo quickly drew level on aggregate with Dramane Kambou scoring on 16 minutes.
There were no further goals in the Kumasi fortress of Kotoko, who converted their first shootout penalty then missed the next three to crash out.
Kadiogo succeeded despite the disadvantage of having to stage home matches in the Beninese city of Cotonou because Burkina Faso does not have a single international-standard stadium.
The other four former champions in action -- V Club, JS Kabylie of Algeria, ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast and Zamalek of Egypt -- all won.
V Club recovered from a 1-0 away loss to minnows Gaborone United of Botswana by winning 3-1 in Kinshasa with the crucial third goal coming from Marouf Tchakei with eight minutes to go.
Kabylie also overcome a solitary goal first leg loss, defeating Senegalese visitors Casamance SC 3-0 in Setif.
An early penalty converted by Dadi Mouaki set up two-time champions Kabylie, Massinissa Nezla added a second just before half-time and Salim Boukhenchouche netted on 85 minutes.
ASEC, whose lone Champions League title came in 1998, had a more comfortable passage than V Club or Kabylie, winning 2-0 at home to Coton Sport of Benin having built a 2-1 first leg lead.
Early and late goals from Aubin Kramo and Daouda Diarrassouba in Yamoussoukro took ASEC safely through to an intriguing west African showdown with Horoya of Guinea, who had a bye.
Five-time African champions Zamalek made a belated start to their campaign and goals from 'Shikabala' and 'Zizo' delivered a 2-0 first leg lead away to Elect Sport of Chad.
N.Carrasco--HdM
