Kumasi, Sept 7, GNA- APR FC of Rwanda gave Kumasi Asante Kotoko a taste of what to expect in the return encounter even though they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in the first leg quarter final match of the Africa Cup Winners Cup in Kumasi on Sunday.

The Rwandans shot ahead as early as the 10th minute through Muhayimana Theone who connected home a swift throw in.

This early goal left Kotoko confused, as they had to struggle through the first half, which was clearly dominated by the Rwandans. The visitors proved that indeed they were policemen as they were swift, won all the loose balls and used their height to advantage as they headed away almost all aerial balls.

They complemented this with superior tactical discipline as they seized control of the midfield and used their wings to advantage. APR kicked off and as early as the third minute, the Rwanda policemen had goalkeeper Louis Quainoo saving a sticky situation. Kotoko countered and in the seventh minute, Shilla Alhassan chested a high ball, turned swiftly and unleashed a left footer which was parried over the bar by goalkeeper Ndayizeye Desire for a corner which was wasted.

Then the unexpected happened. The APR raced with the ball from the left and caught the Kotoko defence flat-footed but before they could do any damage, the ball was cleared to throw from which the visitors scored the opener.

Kotoko accepted the challenge and launched an attack and in the 14th minute, Nana Arhin Duah moved deep into the Rwandans goal area from the left and sent the ball across the goalmouth but goalkeeper Ndayizeye tipped the ball away as there was no Kotoko attacker to finish off. Then in the 18th minute, a chance fell to Michael Osei who had wasted many scoring opportunities, but once again, he headed wide. Kotoko made another dangerous incursion into the Rwandans territory in the 24th minute but Charles Taylor's cross into the goal area went waste

From the proceedings, it became very clear that Stephen Oduro could not match the pace and physical nature of the game and had to be replaced by Edmund Owusu Ansah in the 34th minute and this seemed to have brought some vim into the midfield of Kotoko.

In the 37th minute a chance fell to Michael Osei again from a well floated ball but he headed it wide off target. A minute later, Arhin Duah also blasted a good chance wide.

Arhin Duah nearly atoned for his earlier miss just on the stroke of half time but goalkeeper Ndayizeye soared high to save his goal bound header.

In the second half Kotoko plunged straight into attack and in the 46th minute, Owusu Ansah's goal bound shot was cleared by the defence of the Rwandans, with their goalkeeper completely beaten.

With expectations from the supporters very high and the pressure high on the Kotoko players to equalize and eventually win the game, Kotoko laid siege on the Rwandans goal area and goalkeeper Ndayizeye was called upon to make two saves in succession from Aziz Ansah who had moved deep.

APR pulled out their goal scorer Muhayimana in the 58th minute for Mulisa Jimmy while Kotoko sent in Frank Osei for Nana Arhin Duah in the 76th minute.

As the minutes ticked by, Kotoko increased the tempo of the game as the visitors began to panic and mass up in their defensive third but this could not deny Kotoko the equaliser as Charles Taylor drew levelin the 80th minute from a three-man move with Frank Osei and Shilla Alhassan.

From the persistent Kotoko attack it became clear that they would get another goal and Frank Osei provided it in the 89th minute to send the supporters jubilating.

Kotoko: 1. Louis Quainoo 2. Aziz Ansah 3. Godfred Yeboah 4, Dan Acquah 5. Joe Hendricks 6. Michael Asante 7. Michael Osei 8. Stephen Oduro/Edmond Owusu Ansah 9. Charles Asampong Taylor 10. Nana Arhin Duah 11. Shilla Alhassan