CAF Confederation Cup: We’ll strive for victories against Al Ahly and Raja AC – ASKO Kara chief

ASKO Kara general secretary Patrice Agboli insists the Togolese club will not approach their CAF Confederation Cup group-stage campaign as underdogs, despite being drawn against African heavyweights Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca.

The Togolese side face a difficult challenge in a group that also includes Angolan outfit Primeiro de Agosto, with Agboli acknowledging the quality and experience of their opponents while insisting his team are determined to compete for victories.

ASKO Kara will travel to face Al Ahly in the second round of the group stage, scheduled between December 4 and 6, in what promises to be a major test of their continental ambitions.

Despite recognising the pedigree of the Egyptian giants and Moroccan side Raja Casablanca, Agboli believes ASKO Kara have earned their place among Africa’s leading clubs by reaching the group stage and must approach the competition with confidence.

“We have been placed in a very strong group, which includes prestigious and more experienced clubs, such as Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca, clubs that have a great history in continental competitions, but that’s football,” Agboli said.

He stressed that qualifying for the group stage demonstrates the club’s ability to compete at the continental level, adding that the outcome of matches will ultimately be determined on the pitch rather than by reputation.

“On paper, we are the underdogs against Al Ahly and Raja, but we will not come as resigned victims. Rather, we will play the matches with full force, respecting our opponents, while adhering to our style of play and striving to achieve victory,” he added.

Agboli also expressed surprise at Al Ahly’s participation in the Confederation Cup, given their stature and history in African football, but acknowledged that his team have previous experience facing Egyptian opposition.

ASKO Kara have previously played against Pyramids FC and Future FC, now known as Modern Sport, facing each club twice. The general secretary believes those encounters will provide valuable lessons as they prepare for another challenge against Egyptian opposition.

“Al Ahly is a great team and a prestigious club, and we do not know why they are participating in the Confederation Cup this year, but we have some experience in facing Egyptian clubs, after we played against Pyramids and Future, and we played two matches against each team,” he stated.

He added that the experience gained from those fixtures could help ASKO Kara deliver competitive performances against Al Ahly.

Regarding their meeting with Raja Casablanca, Agboli acknowledged that it would be the first time his side faced the Moroccan giants. However, he pointed to their previous encounters with FAR Rabat as a source of experience in dealing with Moroccan football.

The ASKO Kara official maintained that his team would approach every fixture with the ambition of winning rather than simply making up the numbers.

“Reaching this stage means that we are among the best teams in Africa, and we will play to win without fear, because football is decided on the field. It is 11 players against 11 players, and then we will see who will win,” he concluded.

ASKO Kara will now prepare for a demanding group-stage campaign as they seek to challenge the established continental powers and demonstrate that they can compete with Africa’s biggest clubs.