Two times Champions league winners Asante Kotoko have arrived home safely in Ghana after failing to qualify to the group stages of the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League competition ahead of Sudanese side Al Hilal Omdurman.
The Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko were scheduled to face Al Hilal in Sudan on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 in the second leg of last preliminary round, but the game was called off under alleged devious tactics by Al Hilal, rendering the Ghanaian giants incapable of raising the requisite number of 15 players for the game.
After a mandatory covid-19 test on Asante Kotoko players and club officials, eight (8) of the players and 4 officials were alleged to have tested positive for the virus, making it impossible for the Porcupine Warriors to raise the required number of 15 players for the game. The game was then called off by the match commissioner and Asante Kotoko filed a protest to CAF under the claims that the covid-19 results of their players had been tempered with by Al Hilal officials, and that they (Asante Kotoko) are unable to accept the so-called positive results.
Pending a ruling by CAF on the protest filed by Asante Kotoko, the continent’s football governing body went ahead to conduct the draw for the Champions League group stage, recognising Al Hilal as having progressed to the group stage while Kotoko are sent to the Confederation Cup where they have been drawn against Algerian power house, ES Setif.
Left with no option at the moment, the Asante Kotoko team of 22 players and club officials who made it to Sudan for the game against Hial have arrived in Accra on Friday afternoon to begin preparations for their domestic league matches.
