The draw for the group phase of this season’s African Confederation Cup conducted in Johannesburg on Monday:

Group A: USM Alger (Algeria), Djoliba (Mali), Olympique Safi (Morocco), San Pedro (Ivory Coast)

Group B: Azam (Tanzania), Maniema Union (DR Congo), Nairobi United (Kenya), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)

Group C: Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), AS Otoho (Congo) Singida Black Stars (Tanzania), Stellenbosch (South Africa)

Group D: Al Masry (Egypt), Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa), Zamalek (Egypt), Zesco United (Zambia)

The top two finishers in each of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals in March.

The group phase starts on Sunday November 23 and will continue through to mid-February.

-Reuters

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Wydad Casablanca stormed into the CAF Confederation Cup group stage with a dominant 5–1 victory over Asante Kotoko in Casablanca, completing a 6–1 aggregate triumph after winning 1–0 in Ghana last week.

The Moroccan giants were ahead inside the first minute and never looked back, scoring twice from the spot after the interval before adding a late fifth to underline their superiority at the Mohammed V Stadium.

The tone was set almost immediately when Hamza Hannouri finished a sweeping move after only 60 seconds to put Wydad 1–0 up on the night and 2–0 ahead on aggregate.

 Kotoko, who had to chase the game, responded bravely and found a lifeline on 18 minutes when Samba Gilbani steered in an equaliser to level the match.

Any hope of a comeback was short-lived. On 26 minutes, Wydad restored their lead through Aziz Ki, who arrived from midfield to convert after the hosts carved open space down the inside-right channel.

With the visitors forced to commit numbers forward, Wydad controlled territory and tempo after half-time, repeatedly drawing fouls in dangerous areas as Kotoko tired.

Their pressure told from the spot in the 54th minute when Thembinkosi Lorch sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3–1.

The Red and White continued to push, and a second penalty was awarded with six minutes of normal time remaining; Oussama Zemraoui converted confidently for 4–1.

Mohamed Bouchouari added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, arriving to finish a cut-back for Wydad’s fifth of the evening.

By then the outcome was beyond doubt, with the Moroccan side’s control in both boxes and superior game management decisive across the two legs.

The result returns Wydad to the group phase of a CAF interclub competition, a level they know well from their storied continental history. 

Wydad will know their group opponents on Monday.

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Former Nigeria international, Felix Owolabi, has attributed Kwara United’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko to overconfidence and lack of technical depth on the bench.

Commenting after Kotoko’s 1-0 victory in Abeokuta on Sunday, which sealed a 5-3 aggregate win for the Ghanaian giants, the 1980 AFCON winner revealed that he had earlier warned officials of Kwara United about the quality and tactical strength of their opponents.

“Do you know that I was in Ghana for an assignment when I watched Asante Kotoko play in the finals of the FA Cup against Accra Hearts of Oak?” Owolabi said. “The game ended 2-1 in favour of Kotoko, and I heard the President of Ghana promise to support the team in their continental campaign.”

According to him, the Ghanaian leader’s commitment reflected a renewed determination to revive the fortunes of club football in Ghana.

“He said the days of poor showing by Ghanaian teams were over and was ready to back them financially,” Owolabi noted.

The former Shooting Stars star added that he had returned to Nigeria with insights that could have helped Kwara United prepare better.

“I told some of those close to the team that Kotoko’s full-backs and midfielders were their engine room, and they needed a tactical plan that would disorganise them for the entire 90 minutes,” he explained.

Owolabi said he also cautioned that the tie was far from over despite Kwara United’s earlier away goals advantage.

“I warned them not to take qualification for granted until the final whistle. Psychologically, the three away goals made them overconfident,” he said.

The former winger lamented that Kwara United lacked a “matured tactician” to handle such a delicate second leg.

“All they needed was an experienced hand on the bench — someone who understands the dynamics of continental football,” Owolabi added. “It’s unfortunate. Now, it’s like medicine after death.”

He concluded by urging Nigerian clubs to attach greater importance to technical preparedness and experience when representing the country in continental competitions.

“Football has become too dynamic. Even the areas you least expect surprises have become success zones,” he warned.

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