Asante Kotoko head coach Abdul Karim Zito heads into his side’s decisive CAF Confederation Cup return leg with an impressive record on the road in Africa. The experienced tactician remains unbeaten in his last three away games in CAF inter-club competitions, two with Dreams FC and one with Asante Kotoko.
Zito’s unbeaten streak began with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Stade Malien in Bamako, followed by a goalless draw with Egyptian giants Zamalek during Dreams FC’s fairy-tale run in the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup, where the Still Believe lads reached the semi-finals, the first Ghanaian side to do so since the introduction of the knockout phase after the group stage.
At Kotoko, he extended that impressive away record with a 1-0 win over Nigeria’s Kwara United, proving once again that his tactical awareness and resilience make him one of the most dependable Ghanaian coaches in African competitions.
During his continental campaign with Dreams FC, Zito’s away record was remarkable:
Drew 1-1 with Milo FC in Guinea
Drew 1-1 with FC Kallon in Sierra Leone
Lost 2-0 to Club Africain in Tunisia
Won 3-2 against Academica do Lobito in Angola
Lost 2-1 to Rivers United in Nigeria
Won 2-1 against Stade Malien in Mali
Drew 0-0 with Zamalek SC in Egypt
These performances underline his ability to get results away from home, even against some of Africa’s biggest sides.
However, Zito’s career has also seen tough moments on the continent. His worst away defeat came in 2008, when he led Sahel FC of Niger to a 6-1 loss to Ashanti Gold SC at the Len Clay Stadium in the CAF Champions League, despite having won the first leg 1-0 in Niamey.
Zito’s first stint with Kotoko dates back to 2005, when he joined the Porcupine Warriors after they were eliminated by FAR Rabat of Morocco. Then under Malik Jabir, who was later elevated to Technical Director, Kotoko had drawn successive league games with Power FC and Bofoakwa Tano before appointing Zito from Feyenoord Academy.
Now, nearly two decades later, the question lingers — can Karim Zito lead Kotoko to another famous away triumph and guide them into the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup?
With his proven tactical acumen on foreign soil, the experienced coach has every reason to believe he can do it again.
Compiled by Bright Yeboah Taylor
