Asante Kotoko’s hopes of restoring national pride got dashed on Wednesday as they suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Cara Brazzaville to exit the 2018 Caf Confederation Cup.
The preliminary round tie had ended 1-1 over two legs. Just like it happened in the first leg, one goal was produced by the Congolese side to force the game into PKs.
Rich Odongo scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd minute when his shot took a deflection of a Kotoko defender to beat goalkeeper Felix Annan. Cara could not go ahead to finish the job as Kotoko came into the game strongly in the second half and exposed their hosts. But they couldn’t find the back of the net hence the need to decide the tie via the penalty lottery.
Goalkeeper Felix Annan gave Kotoko a major boost as he converted the first kick and saved that of Cara by Richy Ondongo. Annan saved two more kicks by Hervé Kibongani and Olfaga Okiélé as the shoot-outs dragged into sudden death.
Cara goalkeeper Chansel Massa emerged the hero when he blocked Kwame Boahene’s effort before taking it upon himself to convert and hand the Eagles a 7-6 win and qualification to the next round of the Confederation Cup.
Skipper Amos Frimpong and Jackson Owusu were the other players to miss their penalties for Kotoko.
Cara Brazzaville will next face Tunisian side US Ben Guerdane.
