Kotoko must improve defence against Pillars - Karim Zito

Former Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak coach Abdul Karim Zito has urged the Porcupine Warriors to work on their defending ahead of their Caf Champions League return fixture with Kano Pillars of Nigeria on August 25.

The Kumasi-based outfit has the task of overturning a 3-2 away defeat suffered in the first leg of the preliminary first-round tie.

The winners on aggregate will secure their passage to face Hafia FC of Guinea or Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel in the second round.

“Kotoko did well [in the first leg] but my problem is how they conceded those three goals," Zito, currently the technical director of Ghana Premier League side Dreams FC, told Ashh FM.

"This technical handlers must work on how they have been conceding goals because it can cause the team from moving forward.

“Playing in Africa, all departments in the team must work to perfection because it won’t be an easy game [in the return leg]."

Returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2015, Kotoko have set for themselves an ambition to reach the group stage of the competition.

They have already won the tournament twice in their history - in 1970 and 1983.

Last season, the Porcupines competed in the Confederation Cup where they reached the group stage.