CAF Confederation Cup
It’s CAF Confederation Cup West African derby as Rivers flow into Ghana
Rivers United will hope to continue their splendid performance in the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup as they hope to set up a nightmare for Ghana’s Dreams FC this Sunday.
Rivers United were off to a bright start after beating Academica do Lobito of Angola 3-0 in Uyo. In contrast, Ghana’s Dreams FC will be aiming for a comeback after slumping to Tunisia’s Club Africain last weekend.
A win for Rivers United will put them in good frame for the knockout stage of the competition.
In the same group, both Club Africain and Academica do Lobito face each other in the early evening fixture where the Tunisians are aiming for nothing less than a victory to keep their winning run, while the Angolans will be looking at getting out of the bottom of the group.
In the continuation of the MatchDay 2 there are a total of eight fixtures on the card this Sunday .
Kicking things off will be the reigning champions of the competition, USM Alger who will be travelling from the northern tip of the continent down to the south where they will face South Africa’s, SuperSport United – runners up of the competition in 2017.
In a simultaneous fixture, Libya’s Abu Salem who played well against Zamalek last week despite their narrow 1-0 loss have a chance to reverse their fortunes when they travel to Angola’s Segrada Esperanca, who are fresh from their 2-0 win over CO Coyah last weekend.
In Mali, Stade Malien plays host to RS Berkane of Morocco who are looking at reclaiming their 2022 title in this new season. The Moroccans got their campaign off to a good start last weekend with a 2-0 victory over debutants Sekhukhune United of South Africa but will have a much tougher assignment when facing Stade Malien who won 3-1 away from home against Diables Noirs last week.
Closing off the Sunday fixtures will be Guinea’s CO Coyah welcoming former champions, Zamalek in a must win match for the hosts, in what will be an uphill task against the highly experienced Egyptian side.
Sekhukhune United, who recently appointed a new coach in Lehlohonolo Seema must get a result against Diables Noirs. Both sides suffered losses against RS Berkane and Sagrada Esperanca respectively and anything less than a win from either side will put them in a very difficult position to come back into contention for a place in the knockout stages.
CAF Confederation Cup Fixtures | Sunday, 03 December:
13h00 GMT | Abu Salem v Sagrada Esperanca
13h00 GMT | SuperSport United v USM Alger
16h00 GMT | Stade Malien v RS Berkane
16h00 GMT | Dreams FC v Rivers United
16h00 GMT | Al Hilal Benghazi v Modern Future
16h00 GMT | Academica do Lobito v Club Africain
17h00 GMT | CO Coyah v Zamalek
19h00 GMT | Sekhukhune United v Diables Noirs
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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