CAF Champions League Preview: Asante Kotoko vs FC Nouadhibou

Asante Kotoko is confident of progressing to the next stage of the CAF Champions League at the expense of FC Nouadhibou this weekend.

The Porcupine Warriors earned a point in the first leg in Mauritania last weekend. Asante Kotoko feels they were robbed of victory.

Kotoko took the lead through Osman Ibrahim and but Nouadhibou equalized thanks to a "dubious" penalty. The referee adjudged the ball to have struck the arm of Yussif Mubarik despite replays showing it was his thigh.

“A draw is not bad, but I think that if the officiating was a bit better today, we would have won the game," Kotoko coach Maxwell Konadu said after the match.

“However, a Champions League 1-1 away draw is better than a goalless stalemate."

"We have taken the 1-1 result in good faith, we will go home and work harder to ensure we beat them by at least one or two unanswered goals so we can progress to the next stage."

Pre-match discussions have been centred around the venue for the match. Asante Kotoko wanted to move the match from Accra to the Tamale Sports Stadium but their request came too late so the match will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Kotoko has been camping in Kumasi for the match while Nouadhibou arrived in Accra on Thursday night.

Both teams are unbeaten in their last five games but Nouadhibou has the better record. The Mauritanian champions have won five and drawn three while Kotoko has only one win.

Match facts:

Nouadhibou has conceded just one goal in their last five competitive away matches (0.2 goals per game) and scored seven (1.4 goals per game).

The Orange Club is unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions, winning nine and drawing two. They are yet to lose a game in over 10 months.

Asante Kotoko has conceded three goals in their last five competitive home games (0.6 goals per game) and scored five (1 goal per game).

Kotoko has lost one game in their last 13 competitive matches (5W 7D 1L).

Prediction: Kotoko 1-0 Nouadhibou.