San Pedro Not A Team Asante Kotoko Should Lose To - Felix Annan

Asante Kotoko captain and goalkeeper Felix Annan has bemoaned their elimination from the Caf Confederation Cup on Sunday.

The Porcupine Warriors' continental campaign crashed down away in Abidjan where they lost 2-0 to Ivorian side San Pedro in a play-off round second leg fixture.

Kotoko narrowly registered a 1-0 triumph in the first leg in Kumasi, a score which ultimately ensured San Pedro's progress to the group stage through a 2-1 aggregate win.

“With due respect to San Pedro, but I don't think this is a team that should stop us from qualifying to the group stage," the shot-stopper said, as reported by his club's official website.

"This is the most painful defeat I have ever had in my Kotoko career. I do not know how to explain it.

"Our attitude and mental toughness were not there because it is painful how we lost.

"We cannot be committing these sort of mistakes at this stage.”

Kotoko began the season in the Caf Champions League where a first-round loss to Etoile Sahel of Tunisia forced a demotion to the second-tier Confederation Cup championship

“I feel hurt for our fans who travelled from Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire to support us,” Annan added.

"I feel their pain and I think if I were in their shoes, I would have reacted and do more than they did. All I want to say is a big sorry to them because all we have is them and ourselves."

Last season, the Porcupines reached the group stage of the Confederation Cup and their best performance in the competition remains a runners-up finish in 2004.