CAFCC: Asante Kotoko head coach, Karim Zito set sights on group stages

Asante Kotoko head coach Karim Zito has declared his ambition to lead the club into the group stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, following a 5–3 aggregate victory over Kwara United in the preliminary round.

Kotoko edged a 4–3 thriller in Accra before sealing qualification with a 1–0 win in Abeokuta, showcasing resilience and tactical maturity across both legs.

“Our target is to qualify for the group stages. In football, nothing is impossible, even though it will be difficult,” Zito told Akoma FM.

The Porcupine Warriors now face Moroccan giants Wydad AC in the second round of qualifiers. While Zito acknowledged the challenge ahead, he emphasized his immediate focus lies on domestic duties:

“I’m not thinking about WAC at the moment; my focus is on Heart of Lions.”

Zito also expressed a preference for hosting Wydad in Kumasi, but remained flexible:

“If it ends up in Accra, we’re fine with it.”

Zito called on fans to turn out in numbers:

“When they are huge, it gives us so much confidence; we need their numbers”

Kotoko now shift focus to the Ghana Premier League, where they host Heart of Lions at the Baba Yara Stadium this weekend. A strong performance could build momentum ahead of the continental clash.