Kumasi Asante Kotoko shared spoils with Al Hilal today in match-five of the CAF Confederation Cup group stages at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Songne Yacouba’s sublime header from Emmanuel Gyamfi’s cross in the 85th minutes brought back qualification hopes to the Porcupines after being down by a goal.
Kotoko started the game with a blistering of performance, dominating possession with Emmanuel Gyamfi, Songne Yacouba creating lots of goal scoring opportunities.
Al Hilal bounced back stronger to get the opener courtesy Hamid header in the 33rd minutes to end the first department of the cagey encounter.
Kotoko returned from the break with a total dominance, knocking harder to get the equalizer but all efforts from Gyamfi, Yacouba, Fatau Mohammed went fruitless as Hilal maintained their composure at the defense.
Fatau Mohammed hits the goal post twice with his sublime free-kicks as Kotoko kept on pressing harder and harder.
Finally, Emmanuel Gyamfi who was all over the pitch crossed a ball from the right side of Al Hilal defense where Yacouba slotted in perfectly without wasting much time.
The Porcupines, just after Yacouba’s goal in the 86th minutes doubled the pressure on Hilal, searching for the winner but to no avail as the defenders of the Sudanese side maintained their focus until center referee, Bamlak Weyesa from Ethiopia whistled for the end of the game.
The stalemate means Nkana FC lead the group C table with nine points whilst Al Hilal after the draw today place second with eight points and Asante Kotoko sit third with seven points leaving Zesco United at the bottom of the table with four.
Kotoko will travel to Zambia to play Zesco United in the last group stage game on Sunday March 17, 2019 with Al Hilal welcoming Nkana FC in Sudan on the same day.
