Mallam Bashir Badawiy, General Manager of Kwara United, has expressed unwavering confidence in his team’s ability to overcome Ghana’s Asante Kotoko in the preliminary stage of the 2025 CAF Confederation Cup. Speaking exclusively to Akoma FM, Badawiy downplayed the impact of Kotoko’s home support, emphasizing that mental toughness, not crowd size, will determine the outcome on the pitch.
“We’ve played in front of packed stadiums in Sudan and faced one of Morocco’s top clubs in Berkane, nearly qualifying,” Badawiy said. “It’s not about the crowd; it’s about mentality. If you can’t perform under pressure, it’s like you can’t dance in the market. Whether it’s 500,000 fans at the Maracanã or anywhere else, we’ll show the world what we’re capable of.”
In a playful yet determined message to Kotoko, Badawiy urged the Ghanaian giants to “take it easy” while reaffirming Kwara United’s ambition to claim the Confederation Cup trophy. “You’re a big team, but we’re coming to play football, and our goal is to win the cup,” he said. He also called on fans in Ghana to prepare to welcome the trophy to Nigeria and join Kwara United in Ilorin for the return leg on September 19.
The first leg of the tie will take place in Ghana, with the decisive second leg set for Ilorin, as both clubs vie for a spot in the next round of the continental competition.
