Kwara United Football Club began their 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup campaign with a narrow but spirited 4–3 defeat to Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko on Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium in the first leg of the preliminary round.

In a match that lived up to the hype, both sides delivered end-to-end action, displaying attacking flair and tactical sharpness. Asante Kotoko drew first blood in the 18th minute through Emmanuel Antwi, but Kwara United responded swiftly, with Johnmark Aule finishing off a well-placed cross from Kabiru Muhammed in the 24th minute.

As the first half neared its conclusion, a lapse in Kwara United’s defense allowed Hubert Gyalu to slot home Kotoko’s second in the 45th minute. Yet, the Harmony Boys refused to back down — and it was Aule again, striking in added time to level the match at 2–2 before the break.

The second half resumed with both teams making tactical adjustments, and Kotoko capitalised almost immediately. Joseph Ablorh scored with a powerful header just two minutes in to regain the lead. Kotoko extended their advantage in the 69th minute via a Gyalu penalty, making it 4–2.

Kwara United remained resilient, and their efforts paid off late in the game. In the 87th minute, substitute Shola Abdulraheem finished off an incisive run and cross from Junior Aimufua to bring the scoreline to a more respectable 4–3 — giving the Nigerians a crucial away goal edge heading into the second leg.

After the match, Assistant Coach Tunde Sanni, speaking on behalf of Head Coach Godwin Onyewuchi Nonsike, praised the team’s discipline and fighting spirit:

“It was a tough match against a strong opponent, but we held our own. The boys showed great character, and we are confident we can overturn the result in Abeokuta.”

In a show of support, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the team at their hotel in Accra after the match. He commended their spirited performance and encouraged them to “complete the job” on home soil.

The return leg is set for Sunday at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, where Kwara United will need a win to progress to the next round of the continental tournament.