Rail Club du Kadiogo and Kumasi Asante Kotoko will meet each other in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round on Friday, September 9, 2022, at the General Mathieu Kérékou Friendship Stadium in Benin.
The Stade de Kadiogo Ouagadougou in Yamoussoukro was the initial venue for the much awaited fixture between Ghanaian Premier League champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, and Burkinabè Premier League champions, RC Kadiogo.
Having participated in the CAF Champions League in 2006 and being eliminated at the preliminary stage, the Burkinabe champions are now participating in the league for the second time, in its 55 years of existence, the orange and black team has never advanced past the opening round.
The Burkina Faso-based football club failed to play at their traditional home ground, the Stade de Kadiogo Ouagadougou, since it failed to meet CAF’s requirements and the Burkinabè Football Authority was unable to release the new 20,000-capacity Stade de Yamoussoukro since it was under maintenance.
The astute editors of www.atspo.com received a trustworthy report from Oyerepa FM’s analyst, Adu Poku Eugene, that the match between the two champions from Ghana and Burkina Faso will take place in Benin but did not specify the location.
A communique released by RC Kadiogo’s communication department confirms the report that the match will be played in Benin, at Stade de l’amitié Mathieu Kérékou in Kouhounou, Cotonou in the Republic of Benin.
After failing to qualify for the CAF Champions League last season, the Porcupine Warriors are expected to fly out from Ghana on Wednesday evening for the clash on Friday at the new venue, which has been confirmed.
Before a second fight at Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi Asante Kotoko has two advantages: they play against a side that has been in the tournament for a while at a neutral venue and they play against a Burkinabe team with an experienced coach, Seydou Zerbo from Burkina Faso.
Coach Zerbo is anticipated to use his understanding of RC Kadiogo to Kotoko’s advantage, but given that he needs more time to step into Prosper Narteh Ogum’s shoes who left his position after winning the BetPawa Premier League that may not be an easy feat.
In the next stage, the winner of the match between RC Kadiogo and Kotoko will take on the champion of the match between Gaborone United of Botswana and AS Vita Club of Congo.
