Kotoko, Chelsea, Dwarfs, Medeama win in Africa

Ghana’s representatives in continental competitions put up gallant displays to record important wins in their preliminary round first leg matches played yesterday, with Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Berekum Chelsea and Ebusua Dwarfs all recording home victories, while Medeama SC produced a surprising 2-1 win away.

Kotoko struggled to secure a slim 2-1 victory over the relatively inexperienced Barrack Young Controllers (BYC) of  Liberia after a brace from defender Kwabena Adusei from the spot, reports Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor.

Adusei converted two penalty kicks — one in either half — to enable the Porcupine Warriors to break down a stubborn Liberian side, whose defence almost seemed impregnable.

Kotoko earned the first penalty in the 39th minute when a BYC player handled the ball in the box and the Burkinabe referee, Boukari Ouedraogo rightly pointed to the spot. Adusei, who is fast gaining a reputation as an expert in penalty kicks, fired the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Nathaniel Sherman.

The joy of the Kotoko faithful was shortlived. The visitors were awarded a kick right on the edge of the penalty box and the resultant kick was an equaliser after Isaac Pupo bent the ball over the human wall and beyond the reach of Kotoko goalie, Soulama Abdoulaye, in the 42nd minute.

Kotoko returned from recess with renewed energy and took the game to BYC, forcing the Liberian side to commit mistakes at the back. The pressure yielded result in the 71st minute when advancing Seidu Bancey was fouled by goalkeeper Sherman for another penalty, which Adusei drilled home for the match winner.

Kotoko could have buried the game in the first half but wasted most of the chances that fell their way with Prince Baffoe as the worst culprit, squandering four clear scoring opportunities.

BYC came into the match with a plan to close down the Kotoko attack and hope for a draw. They played a defensive game with a packed rear which frustrated the Porcupine Warriors’ attack.  

However, on the few occasions that the visitors managed to cross the centre line, they posed very little threat to Mas-Ud Dramani’s charges as defenders Adusei and Abeiku Ainooson combined well to keep the BYC attackers at bay.

• There was joy at the Golden City Park where veteran midfielder Jackson Owusu powered Berekum Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over FC Atlabara of South Sudan in their  first leg tie of the CAF Champions League.

Jackson struck the opener from a penalty after 60 minutes, before doubling Chelsea's lead in the closing stages of the match.

However, Chelsea, who reached the group stage in their continental debut two season's ago, will go into the return leg without their two-goal hero (Jackson) who turned villain later in the game when he went into a dangerous challenge that earned him a red card.

At the Robert Mensah Stadium in Cape Coast, Ebusua Dwarfs struggled to break down a resilient ASC Diaraf of Senegal with a lone goal victory which was scored by striker Richard Gadze after a swift midfield move .

Perhaps, the biggest result was achieved by Medeama, who began their maiden continental journey on a flying note with an impressive 2-1 away win over Panthers FC of Equatorial Guinea in their CAF Confederation Cup first leg tie played in Malabo.

New signing, Michael Helegbe and Samuel Nzemaba scored the goals that handed the MTN FA Cup champions an advantage going into the return leg encounter in Sekondi in two weeks’ time.