Kano Pillars midfielder Anaemena Nzube has admitted that he and his teammates were surprised by Asante Kotoko in Saturday’s first leg Caf Champions League preliminary round tie in Kano.

Nzube, who was given a starting role by coach Ibrahim Musa, admitted Pillars was hoping for a big win over the Porcupines but had to struggle to get a 3-2 victory.

“Sincerely we never expected Kotoko will score two goals in Kano, my belief was that we will beat them 3-0 or at worse 2-0,” Nzube told Goal in an exclusive interview.

“They [Kotoko] are really a good team and they really pushed us but expect a better game from us in the second leg.”

Pillars missed four of their regular first-team players in Saturday’s first leg tie, but Nzube insists is not an excuse for the slim victory.

“When they [the absent players] were there, we won and lost games so that is football, even if we had everybody the result might not have been different,” he continued.

“Right now we should be more concerned about getting the right results in the second leg and leave the first leg because it is now in the past and cannot be changed.”

The winners after the two-legged tie between Pillars and Kotoko are billed to face Hafia FC of Guinea or Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel in the next stage