Caf Champions League: Asante Kotoko falter at home against Al Hilal 

Asante Kotoko are likely face a first-round exit from the Caf Champions League following a 1-0 home defeat to Sudanese side Al-Hilal on Wednesday.

The Porcupine Warriors were undone by a Vinny Bongonga 77th minute strike in the first leg fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium, where Kotoko temporarily play their home matches due to ongoing renovation works at their famous Baba Yara Sports Stadium ground.

The Kumasi-based outfit, who accounted for Nouadhibou of Mauritania in the previous round, have their job cut out in the return leg away in Omdurman in the New Year.

Interim Kotoko head coach Johnson Smith made two changes to his starting team that won against Dreams FC in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) on Sunday for Wednesday's fixture.

Godfred Asiamah and Ismail Abdul Ganiyu returned to the set-up while Guinean striker Naby Laye Keita made the bench for the first time this season.

Al-Hilal's line-up, on the other hand, featured goalkeeper Abdallah Abu-Eshrein and Abuaagla Abdallah who both played for the Sudan national team against Ghana in a 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying double-header last month.

Striker Mohamed Abdelrahman, whose solitary goal condemned the Black Stars to a 1-0 away defeat in Omdurman, was also in action. 

Christopher Nettey tested goalkeeper Abu-Eshrein with a looping cross-cum-shot in the eighth minute of the game. At the other end, Mohammed Yussif's effort flew just over the bar after being picked out by Nasr Eldin Shigel.

Then Ibrahim Imoro's audacious free-kick from long-range flashed off target in the 19th minute.

In the 39th minute, Wahab Adams was on hand to block a goal-bound Waleed Bekhet shot from inside the box before Nasr Eldin's effort from the edge of the box went wide two minutes to half-time.

Just after the break, William Opoku connected with Ibrahim's cross but goalkeeper Abu-Eshrein produced a diving save to deny the home side an opening goal.

In the 77th minute Hilal broke the deadlock through Bongonga who coolly tapped home Mohammed Ouattara's pass.

Kotoko substitute Keita was presented with an equalising opportunity on 85 minutes but the Guinean failed to keep his header on target.

A minute to full-time, Al-Hilal could have made it 2-0 but Edin Omar shot feebly into the hands of Kotoko goalkeeper Razak Abalora, moments before the referee whistled to end proceedings.

Last season, Kotoko were eliminated in the first round of the championship by Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.