Asante Kotoko managed to beat Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the first leg tie of the 2019/20 CAF Champions League at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

The Porcupine Warriors started the match with an intensified pressure on the visitors which earned them the opener in the early minutes.

Augustine Okrah snatched the lead for the Ghana Premier League heavyweights with a superb free-kick in the third minute of the match.

The game looked balance after the opener was recorded as both sides possessed the ball in the midfield with few attempts to score.

Okrah tried his luck outside the 18-yard box to double the lead for the home side but his strike was fisted out by goalkeeper Bdiri Makrem on the 25th minute.

Goalkeeper Felix Annan denied Etoile Sportive du Sahel from levelling the score before recess with double brilliant saves.

On the 32nd minute, Augustine Okrah nearly doubled the score for Asante Kotoko but his audacious strike was denied by the woodwork.

Darwin Gonzalez and Abdul Karim from Kotoko kept a clean sheet in the first department as the match ended in a 1-0 victory in favour of them.

After the break, Coach Kjetil Zachariassen's side continued to mount pressure on the visitors as they doubled the score after ten minutes.



Striker Richard Arthur registered his debut goal for the Porcupine Warriors as he extended the lead to 2-0 on the 55th minute of the game.

On the hour mark, Songne Yacouba was introduced as a replacement of Richard Arthur. Also, Kelvin Andoh came on to replace Emmanuel Gyamfi.

The backline of Etoile du Sahel prevented the upfront of Kotoko comprising Songne Yacouba and George Abege from scoring.

Ugandan international George Abege squandered a scoring goal opportunity on the 81st minute of the game.

Songne Yacouba failed to convert a late free-kick handed to Asante Kotoko as the match ended in a 2-0 victory in favour of the Ghanaian club.

Asante Kotoko will travel to the North African country for the return leg encounter in a fortnight time.