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No Ghana win as Asante Kotoko, Ashanti Gold begin Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns
The Porcupine Warriors and the Miners have their jobs cut out in the second leg fixtures of their first challenges of 2020-21 continental football
Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko held Mauritanian side Nouadhibou to a 1-1 away draw in their 2020-21 Caf Champions League opener on Sunday.
Osman Ibrahim opened the scoring for the Porcupine Warriors in the first half but Hemeya Tanjy hit back for the hosts in the preliminary round first leg fixture at Stade Cheikha Ould Boidiya.
The two teams will come face to face again on December 6, with the aggregate winners progressing to the next round of the competition where a date with Al Hilal Club of Sudan or Ugandan outfit Vipers awaits.
In the absence of injury first-choice goalkeeper Felix Annan, Kotoko coach Maxwell Konadu picked Kwame Baah over Razak Abalora and Danlad Ibrahim for the No.1 spot.
Striker Kwame Opoku got the nod to lead the attack owing to his promising start to his Kotoko career, having scored in each of the club's two Ghana Premier League (GPL) games played thus far this season.
It took only five minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock as Ibrahim benefited from an Emmanuel Gyamfi assist to shoot past the goalkeeper.
After Baah was called into action for a save in the 17th minute, the goalkeeper faced a penalty five minutes later when Yussif Mubarik was adjudged by the referee to have handled the ball in the box.
Tanjy stepped up and coolly converted from 12 yards to draw the hosts level.
Eight minutes to half-time, Kotoko came close to restoring their lead but the goalkeeper rushed out promptly to collect the ball after Imoro Ibrahim put Godfred Asiamah one-on-one with the shot-stopper.
Back from recess, Gyamfi went close with a header after connecting to Evans Adomako's cross but the attempt went straight to the goalkeeper.
Both teams made further attempts to snatch a winner but failed to find the target as the referee brought the game to an end.
In the Caf Confederation Cup, Ashanti Gold could not make the most of their home advantage as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Salitas of Burkina Faso on Sunday.
The preliminary round first leg fixture took place at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.
The Miners now have it all to do in the reverse fixture scheduled for Ouagadougou on December 5.
The winners after the two legs will face El Amal of Sudan or KVZ FC of Zanzibar in the next stage of the championship.
