Medeama recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over nine-man Panthers FC to progress to the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup in a highly dramatic game on Sunday.
Goals from Kwame Boahene and substitute Godbless Asamoah were enough to hand the Ghanaians a 4-1 aggregrate win and a passage to the next round of the qualifying campaign.
A rather exciting game ended in a bizarre fashion as Panthers were reduced to nine-men after they were sent off in a highly charged game at the Essipong stadium.
Both coaches named strong teams for the heavyweight but host Medeama enjoyed the chunk of possession during the 90 minutes period.
Mercurial midfielder Kwame Boahene opened the scoring for the side with a thunderbolt strike which hit the top corner to set the stadium ablaze in the 20th minute before substitute Godbless Asamoah tapped in from close range to seal victory.
Striker Hans Kwofie was the architect with a measured pass into the box for Boahen, who placed a delicate shot into the net via the base of the left-hand post.
The ex-Liberty Professionals enforcer tormented the defense of Panthers with an eye-catching display which won him many admirers at the Essipong stadium.
Boahene seemed destined to impress and after clipping a shot over the cross bar when Achile Pensy spilled an effort from Hans Kwofie.
The home side kept their composure despite the incessant pressure from the visitors with Bernard Don-Bortey and Jonathan Yeison becoming a source of worry to the Medeama defense.
Victor Ayirey could have scored the second goal when his powerful drive from 20 yards went just wide.
Midfielder Michael Helegbe will get another chance to impress when he turned his marker inside-out in the penalty box and quite characteristically, lays a pass to Hans Kwofie, who shoot straight into the goalkeeper with goal at his mercy.
Kwofie showed sublime piece of dribbling skills but the end product was always to going be the major talking point.
Medeama stepped up their game in the closing stages of the game and were awarded a penalty after Boahene was brought down cynically by goalkeeper Achille Pensy.
Striker Kabiru Moro, who elected himself for the kick, shot straight into the goalkeeper, to leave the score 1-0 in the first half.
Medeama resumed the second half with a renewed confidence and continued their dominance but once again Hans Kwofie wasted so many glorious opportunities.
Helegbe nearly added the second in the 65th minute when his half volley went wide.
Coach Roberto Paullete replaced Kabiru Moro with Godbless Asamoah with Theophilus Anoobah coming in for Michael Helegbe and that seems to have done the trick for the home side.
Anoobah used his pace to outrun Castilo and set-up Asamoah to slot home the second goal.
The final minutes of the exchanges into frenzy as the visitors felt done by and reacted angrily to every decision of the referee which led to the second red card.
Medeama have progressed into the next stage of the competition where they will meet Moroccan sde MAS.
But the fans a lot of work needs to be done in the attacking proficiency of the team if they are to make a huge statement in the debut African campaign.