Wydad Crush Kotoko to Reach CAF Group Stage

Moroccan club Wydad Athletic Club (Wydad AC) gave an impressive performance in Casablanca, beating Ghana’s Asante Kotoko 5-1 to finish with a 6-1 total score and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

The Moroccan side, known as “The Red Castle,” was in brilliant form at home, thrilling their supporters with sharp attacking play that left Kotoko struggling to keep up. Hamza Hannouri opened the scoring early, setting the tone for what would become a dominant night.

Stephane Aziz Ki added a second with a calm finish before Thembinkosi Lorch, Oussama Zemraoui, and Mohamed Bouchouari sealed the emphatic victory in the second half.

Asante Kotoko, who entered the second leg aiming to overturn a narrow defeat from the first encounter, started the game with energy and confidence. For the first 30 minutes, they managed to contain Wydad’s pressure and even scored a consolation goal to briefly draw level. However, their defensive errors and lack of coordination in midfield proved costly, as Wydad capitalized on every mistake.

The 5-1 defeat ends Kotoko’s CAF Confederation Cup journey and, sadly, Ghana’s participation in this season’s continental competitions. It also highlights the growing gap between Ghanaian clubs and Africa’s top teams.

For Wydad AC, the result reaffirms their status as one of the continent’s football giants, advancing with momentum and ambition toward another potential CAF title.

Following the disappointing exit, the Porcupine Warriors have returned to Ghana determined to recover and refocus. Under coach Karim Zito’s guidance, Kotoko will now shift their attention to the Ghana Premier League, where they aim to regain their form and fight for domestic glory.