JOHANNESBURG:

Asante Kotoko of Ghana edged Kwara United of Nigeria 4-3 on Sunday as 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup qualifying kicked off.

Hosts Kotoko led twice in the first half of the first round, first leg through goals from Emmanuel Antwi and Albert Amoah at the national stadium in Accra.

But Johnmark Atule twice equalised for a 2-2 scoreline at half-time in the stand-out tie of 26 in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

Goals by Joseph Ablorh and Amoah again, from a penalty, gave Kotoko a two-goal advantage in the second half that was halved five minutes from time when Abdulraheem Shola netted for Kwara.

The result sets the stage for an intriguing second leg on September 28 in Abeokuta, 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of commercial capital Lagos.

Kotoko are trying to

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