CAF Confederation Cup
Rivers United Beat Académica Do Lobito 3-2 –
It was a flood of five goals at the at the Estádio Nacional 11 de Novembro in Lobito as Rivers United beat home side, Académica do Lobito 3-2 in a Group C CAF Confederation Cup duel.
The goals however set a titanic battle for Rivers United when they host table-topper, Dreams FC in the last group match next week. Dreams FC with 12 points are leading and followed by Tunisia’s Club Africain who have the same 9 points like Rivers United but have a better goal difference.
For Rivers to have any realistic chance of moving to the knockout stage, they will need a massive win that will neutralise what ever Club Africain will get in their dead rubber duel with Académica do Lobito.
Rivers United started their Sunday away game on a slow note and had to come from behind.
The hosts went ahead in the 37th minute via a penalty kick. But Rivers United levelled up in the 40th minute through Udom Edem Ekarette.
Four minutes later and just before half time, Alex Oyowah put Rivers ahead through a penalty kick.
Farouk Mohammed doubled the lead in the 48th minute. But the home side cut down their deficit when Fernando Camuege scored in the 68th mimute.
Algeria’s USM Alger continues to battle in what looked an hopeless situation in a bid to upturn a decision of the Committee for the Organization of Interclub Competitions and the Management of the Club Licensing System which awarded the first leg match of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final duel to the visiting RS Berkane of Morocco.
The continental body on Friday confirmed the verdict of the Organising Committee and thus threw away the appeal by Algeria.
The Appeal Committee of CAF rejected the Algerian club’s requests.
The USM Algiers club delegation has arrived Morocco through the the Oujda-Angad airport. They were warmly welcome by Moroccan officials led by Belaqchour, the President of the professional national league.
The team arrived at around 5 p.m., aboard a special plane from Algiers. Also on hand to receive them were officials of Berkane officials.
It took the Algerians just 15 minutes from landing to leaving the airport. They were greeted by a large number of fans.
The Algerians have an Herculean task of overturning a 3-0 deficit awarded to RS Berkane in the botched first leg match. The return leg match will hold on Sunday at the Berkane municipal stadium at 8 p.m.
The decision to play the second leg in Berkane comes as USM Alger seeks to avoid additional sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which could include a ban from participating in African competitions for up to four years.
Ghana’s Dreams FC coach, Karim Zito, announced on Friday that he is diligently preparing his players for a potential penalty shootout against Zamalek in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final, scheduled for Sunday.
The first leg match concluded with a goalless draw between the two teams in Cairo last week, and the upcoming second leg will take place in Kumasi, ultimately determining the team that will qualify for the final.
“We ended with penalty shootouts, and out of the twenty-four (24) players, only three (3) of them could not score, so we are ready if it comes down to penalties,” Zito stated during an interview with Kumasi-based Akoma FM.
He further added, “Let me say that we are hoping to secure qualification in regulation time on Sunday.”
During the first leg game in Cairo, Zamalek missed several clear goal-scoring opportunities, leaving them with no alternative but to avoid a loss in Ghana in order to advance to the final of the competition.
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