Asante Kotoko secured a 4-3 win over Nigerian side Kwara United in the first leg preliminary encounter of the 2025-26 CAF Confederations Cup at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

The pulsating encounter saw the Porcupine Warriors being pegged twice in the first half but the Ghanaian giants came back strong in the second half to win the match.

Mercurial midfielder Emmanuel Antwi scored Kotoko’s first goal in the 19th minute after powering a low shot past Kwara United goalkeeper Ayeleso Suraj, who may have done better.

Asante Kotoko maintained control of the game until the 34th minute, when Johnmark Aule equalised with a close range strike.

The Porcupine regained the lead on the stroke of half time through Albert Amoah whose volley was too powerful for Kwara United goalkeeper.

However, the Nigerian side responded in first half added time after Aule secured a brace to put them on level terms with the Porcupine Warriors.

Kotoko made a bright start to the second half, and Joseph Ablorh headed in from far range to give his side the lead in the 48th minute.

Things got better for the Porcupine Warriors in the 73rd minute after Amoah scored his second goal of the game from the penalty spot.

Kwara United tried to stage a comeback in the late stages and Shola Abdul Raheem scored in the 85th minute to reduce the deficit for his side.

Kotoko had numerous opportunities to add onto their slim lead but couldn’t do so as the game ended 4-3 in their favour.

Kotoko would be favourites to progress ahead of the second-leg encounter in Nigeria, with the winner of the tie set to face Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the second round.