CAF Confederation Cup
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP: ‘MOSQUITO’ SIGNALS RANGERS’ REVIVAL AGAINST PELICANS
Nigerian torchbearers Rangers of Enugu continue their chase for continental glory since winning the defunct Africa Cup Winners Cup over four decades ago with a round of 16 first leg clash away to Gabonese side AS Pelican on Saturday in Libreville.
The Flying Antelopes were impressive last season in the same competition reaching the mini-league group stage but failed to progress to the quarter-finals after coming closely in third position behind Tunisian duo CS Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel.
The seven-time champions have since bolstered their side with some experienced players notably veteran midfielder Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, a household name on the Nigerian football scene through his nickname Mosquito.
“It is great to join Rangers International and I’m here to contribute my quota to the success of the team especially in the CAF Confederation Cup because it has been a long time that the club won anything on the continent,” the experienced 33-year-old Ibenegbu, a graduate of Industrial and Microbiology from Imo State University told CAFOnline.com.
“It is my objective to win everything achievable here with Rangers; and we are looking positively at the CAF Confederation Cup as well as the NPFL and Aiteo Cup in Nigeria.
“I believe with my experience playing on the continent alongside that of others now in the team, would help Rangers achieve more than they did last season.”
Mosquito has indeed impressed over the years having played for the Nigeria Beach Soccer national team as well as the Super Eagles side at the 2016 Africa Nations Championship in Rwanda. He has also tasted continental football during his stints at Heartland of Owerri, defunct Warri Wolves and lately with Enyimba before switching to Rangers.
“Enyimba is familiar with playing on the continent and I had four great seasons with them where I gained so much experience playing in both in the domestic and CAF-organised competitions.
“I’ve been well received and the fans can be rest assured that I’m going to give my best after coming back from a knee injury that kept me out of the game for almost a year.
According to Rangers’ Communications Officer, Norbert Okolie, Mosquito has seemingly not lost his cutting edges with his impressive showings in the club’s practice matches ahead of this weekend’s trip to Gabon.
“Our preparation for the CAF Confederation Cup is well on course. We suffered only one game in 12 friendly matches against both professional and amateur clubs. Ibenegbu (Mosquito) featured in six of those matches and I think the coaching crew led by our new manager Benedict Ugwu is very impressed because he has shown his usual old form and assisted in some of the goals we scored.”
Ibenegbu, who acquired Mosquito as a moniker by admirers due to his bean-pole physique, said his coming over to Rangers soon after winning the 2018/2019 Nigerian league with Enyimba offers him yet another opportunity to show what he’s capable of doing.
“In all my years with Enyimba, I only won trophies in the domestic competition but I believe Rangers is strong enough to go all the way in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup and we must show our capacity starting with this weekend’s match against AS Pelican,” he reiterated.
The second leg will take place in Enugu in a fortnight with the winner advancing to the ultimate preliminary of the second-tier continental championship.
Fixtures
Friday:
- Omdurman El Khartoum (Sudan) vs Motema Pembe (DR Congo)
Saturday:
- Nairobi Bandari (Kenya) vs US Ben Guerdane (Tunisia)
- Kigali AS Kigali (Rwanda) vs Proline (Uganda)
- Lome Maranatha (Togo) vs Djoliba (Mali)
- Libreville Pelican (Gabon) vs Rangers (Nigeria)
- Obuasi Ashantigold (Ghana) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
- Manzini Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) vs Bidvest (South Africa)
- Cairo Pyramids (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Sunday
- Cotonou ESAE (Benin) vs Salitas (Burkina Faso)
- Sfax Ittihad (Libya) vs HUSA (Morocco)*Match will be played in Sfax (Tunisia
- Algiers Paradou (Algeria) vs CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
- Curepipe Bolton City (Mauritius) vs Zanaco (Zambia)
- Zanzibar Malindi (Zanzibar) vs El Masry (Egypt)
- Conakry Santoba (Guinea) vs San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire)
- Nelspruit TS Galaxy (South Africa) vs CNaPS (Madagascar)
- Dar Azam (Tanzania) vs Triangle (Zimbabwe)
-cafonline
Moroccan side, Renaissance Sportive de Berkane secured a third continental title after drawing against Tanzania’s Simba Sports Club (2-0 in the first leg, 1-1 in the return).
Moroccan football’s representatives had the privilege of being the first to lift the new CAF trophy.
It is the fifth time they have played the final match of the competition, and they were successful in 2020 and 2022. In the return leg of the final match this Sunday, Berkane overcame challenges put in their way ahead of the match at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
The match got off to a flying start, with the hosts dominating, determined to open the scoring in the opening minutes of play. Once again, Berkane retreated into defence, a far cry from the spirit displayed in the first leg.
It took about fifteen minutes for Mouine Chaâbani’s men to truly get into the game.
While they launched their first dangerous attack, a missed opportunity in front of the opposing goal cost them dearly. On the ensuing counterattack, Simba’s Zambian striker, Joshua Mutale, beat goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi in the 17th minute.
The second half resumed with the same intensity, but the tension rose, especially after Simba attacking midfielder Yusuph Kagoma was sent off for a second yellow card.
Berkane then took a numerical advantage and regained control of the game.
Stung to the quick, the home side continued to engage in skirmishes, but without any real threat to goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi.
Yet, even with ten men down, Simba’s players gave the Berkanis a hard time, posing several threats.
Deliverance finally came in the 93rd minute thanks to Mamadou Lamine Camara, who scored the equaliser, in a closely contested duel, in a packed stadium, and under the eyes of Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the FRMF, as well as Walid Regragui, national coach.
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RS Berkane head coach Moine Chaabani says his side is fully focused and prepared for Sunday’s second leg of the Confederation Cup final against Tanzania’s Simba SC, as they seek to secure a third continental title.
The Moroccan club takes a 2-0 lead into the return leg at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar following an early double from Mamadou Camara and Oussama Lamlaoui in the first leg in Berkane.
Speaking ahead of the crucial clash, Chaabani emphasized that his players have left nothing to chance.
“We are focused on the match, and we must adapt to all circumstances, no matter how difficult,” he said during the pre-match press conference.
“We came here to play a 90-minute match, and there is no room for distraction.”
The Tunisian tactician, who led the team to last year’s final only to suffer defeat against Zamalek, underlined the hunger within the squad to go one step further this time.
“We have worked hard since that disappointment, and today we are even more determined to win the title and bring the cup back to Morocco.”
RS Berkane will be boosted by the availability of key players Haitham Manout and Paul Valery, although final decisions on their involvement will be made after the last training session.
“All players are present. The decision on their participation will depend on their readiness,” he added.
Chaabani also pointed to his side’s growing experience in navigating difficult African environments, saying they are mentally conditioned for the high-stakes occasion.
“We have a strong immune system to handle these conditions, and we will manage our physical effort according to the match’s progress,” he said.
“We hope to rise to the occasion and succeed in pleasing the Berkane fans, who always support us, to win the title.”
The return leg kicks off at 13:00 GMT on Sunday. A draw or even a narrow defeat by a one-goal margin will be enough for Berkane to lift the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup trophy.
-CAF
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Following a 2-0 win for RS Berkane over Simba SC in the first leg of the 2024-25 CAF Confederation Cup Final in Berkane, Morocco, attention will turn to the return fixture on the island of Zanzibar this Sunday.
The match will be played at Amaan Stadium at 16h00 local time (13h00 GMT) and will be live across all CAF’s broadcast partners, including Azam Media, beIN Sport, Canal+, SuperSport, SABC and several other global platforms.
RS Berkane go to the second leg with the advantage after early goals from Mamadou Camara and Oussama Lamlaoui at home, but Simba SC have shown plenty of fighting spirit already this campaign and will be confident of overturning the deficit.
The winners of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup will be awarded a new trophy that will be unveiled later this week.
CAF and host club Simba SC are working closely together to ensure that the event in Zanzibar is a success.
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