Kuamsi Asante Kotoko beat Gambian side Port Authority 1-0 in an outstanding Champions League match in Obuasi on Saturday.
Defender Dan Acquah scored from the spot in the 67th minute of the first-leg, first round tie after Nii Adjei was adjudged to have been fouled in the box.
Kotoko dominated the early exchanges and hit the woodwork twice as Nana Arhin Duah struck the bar, while Owusu Ansah was denied by the post.
Port Authority rarely troubled the Kotoko defence and as the game opened up Alhaji Jackson made a superb save to deny Duah just before the break.
After the interval the home side continued to dominate but they found it hard to create clear-cut chances until Acquah converted the penalty.
Kotoko should have added to Acquah's goal, notably when Obeng Darko's angled shot hit the post with only three minutes remaining.
The second leg will be played in Banjul next week.
The first-leg should have been played last week but Port Authority requested for the postponement of the game because some of their players were representing Gambia at the African Youth Championship in Congo.