Former Asante Kotoko midfielder, Yusif Chibsah says that Kumasi Asante Kotoko had all the tools to have won the CAF Confederations Cup in 2004.

According to Chibsah, they lost that trophy mainly due to the tactical ineptitude from Kotoko's bench which was headed by German trainer Hans Dieter Schmidt.

Kotoko were in a pole position to have won the trophy after gaining a morale boosting 1-1 draw from the first leg in Accra but contrived to also play out a 1-1 draw at home after taking the lead.

The phobians eventually equalized to send the game into penalty shoot out which Kotoko eventually lost 7-8 to Hearts.

Speaking on GTV sports+ “Time with the captains” show on Sunday 3rd May 2020, Chibsah says it was heartbreaking and painful.

“Kotoko as team and we the players were very confident that no matter what happens, we were going to win the first ever Caf confederation cup because we did well in our group. I can confidently say that our group at the time was stronger than that of Accra Hearts of Oak but unfortunately our game plan changed on the match day and we had to lose painfully.”

“After watching the game again and again, I am convinced that Kotoko lost from the bench.”

“So in my view, I believe strongly that Hearts of Oak were destined to win the cup,” he added.

There were players like Charles Taylor, Bernard Don Bortey, Lawrence Adjah Tetteh and Amankwa Mireku who all featured in that match on the show on Sunday.