Kumasi, Sept.13, GNA - Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Saturday spanked Jeunesse Sportive Kabylie (JSK) of Algeria 3-1 in the third Group B match of the CAF Confederation Cup match at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

The "Porcupine Warriors" who also pipped El-Merreikh of Sudan 1-0 on their favourite grounds in the second match and were pegged at the bottom of the Group would therefore now move to the top. It was the visitors who kicked off from the blast of the Gambian Referee, John Mendy but Kotoko quickly took over with the first attempt at goal coming from Skipper Emmanuel Osei Kuffour after he received a perfect pass from Kwadwo Poku in the fifth minute.

Kotoko continued to fight for the opener but found it difficult to penetrate through the iron clad packed JSK defence as they did all to prevent the home side to cause any havoc.

Kwadwo Poku managed to break through the defence in the ninth minute but his shot sailed over the bar. In the 14th minute disaster nearly hit Kotoko when a desperate header from Prince Opoku nearly entered the net but goalkeeper Soulama Abdoulaye was alert to stretch to save the situation.

With the tempo of the game slowing down, veteran midfielder Stephen Oduro nearly opened the score with a low grounder but his shot was pushed to corner by goalkeeper Chaouati Faouzi in the 25th minute and the corner wasted.

Kotoko's top marksman, Eric Bekoe opened the floodgates with the first goal in the 39th minute when he lobbed the ball over the head of on-rushing goalkeeper Chaouti with the ball rolling slowly into the empty net after he beat an off side trap.

The Kumasi lads continued to pile pressure in search of for more goals and earned a corner kick in the 45th minute but Bekoe's header went off target.

JSK who were not all that impressive in the first half improved on their game plan when the second half resumed but it was Kotoko who looked more purposeful and went ahead to score their second goal in the 62nd minute through Jordan Opoku who connected home a cross from Eric Bekoe from the left flank against the run of play. Bekoe should have made it three for Kotoko in the 65th minute but with only the goalkeeper to beat the striker surprisingly shot wide after he had received a neat pass from Oduro.

The JSK players fought hard to redeem their image after series of forays but the Kotoko defence stood gallantly to thwart all their efforts.

Kotoko got the third goal in the 71st minute through Bekoe when Oduro picked on a loose ball and gave a pass to Samuel Incoom to send in powerful shot from the right flank but the goalkeeper failed to make a first time save and Eric Bekoe who was lurking around easily shot into the yawning net with the keeper sprawling in vain.

JSK managed to reduce the goal tally a minute into the two minutes of added on time through Maroci Taeib with a header after goalkeeper Soulama had moved out of lines.

Line up, Kotoko: Soulama Abdoulaye, Emmanuel Osei Kufour, Samuel Incoom, Nii Adjei, Prince Anokye, Ofosu Appiah, Mark Sekyere, Jordan Opoku, Stephen Oduro, Eric Bekoe/ Francis Akwafo, Kwadwo Poku/ Ofosu Amoah.