CAF Confederation Cup
For Rivers United, It’s Mission Impossible
FROM SAMMY WEJINYA, Rabat, MOROCCO.
Again, Nigeria are out of the CAF Confederation Cup, a tournament which honour has eluded the country since it began 13 years ago. No thanks to Rivers United’s 2-1 loss to FUS of Morocco on Friday night as the matches in Group A were rounded up.
Antonin Panenka resurfaced in the shape of a Moroccan – Youssef El Gnaoui – to leave pain and gnashing of teeth in his wake as Nigerian side, Rivers United FC bowed out of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup with a whimper.
United needed to win at a rocking Stade du FUS (Hay Nahda, Rabat) but started on the back foot with the North Africans pushing and probing in search of an early goal.
They almost got it in the fourth minute when El Gnaoui forced a brilliant save off the Rivers United goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande who would go on to have a barn storming game.
Three minutes later, United were reeling again as Ifeanyi Nweke rallied to produce a goal line clearance before Akande evoked memories of former Colombia international maverick goalkeeper, Rene Higuita by heading away a dangerous free kick.
FUS continued to dominate but profligacy coupled with an Akande in inspired form, kept the former Botola Pro champions at bay.
There is a maxim in football which buttresses a point about paying the price when you fail to convert numerous opportunities and it was ruthlessly displayed when United scored with their first real opening of the game.
Nweke’s opportunistic cross into the FUS box was flapped at by goalkeeper, Aymane Majid and the loose ball fell towards the path of poacher, Bolaji Sakin.
The big striker could not believe his luck as he calmly took aim and curled the ball into the far corner to give the ‘Pride of Rivers’ a fortuitous lead.
It was a horrible time to concede but to their credit, FUS did not panic; they stayed true to their ideals and philosophy; playing their passing game which soon led to ultimate punishment for the Port Harcourt club in a high octane second half.
Youssef El Gnaoui tapped into an unguarded net from close range in the 52nd minute following good work by El Mehdi El Bassil after Bernard Ovoke unsuccessfully tried to dribble his way from the back.
The Moroccans struck the final nail into the Rivers United coffin with just two minutes remaining on the clock when Mohammed Fouzair converted a penalty – ala Panenka- after Festus Austine needlessly handled the ball in the box.
It was a richly deserved victory for the Moroccans who dominated and were denied on two occasions by goal line clearances from Nweke and Joseph Douhadji.
The Rivers United goalkeeper, Abiodun Akande was his side’s best performer on the day as he produced a series of top class save to help keep the eventual result respectable.
Technical manager of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma and his counterpart from FUS Rabat, Hoalid Regragui gave their thoughts about the game in a post-match press conference covered by our official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Rivers United finished bottom of Group A with six points from six matches while KCCA finished in third place with nine points after losing 0-4 in Tunis to the eventual table toppers, Club Africain.
United and KCCA thus crash out of the competition at the group stage while the two North Africans march on.
FUS Rabat qualified for the quarter finals after finishing in second place with nine points from six matches.
A high-stakes Moroccan derby between Olympique de Safi and Wydad Casablanca will headline the quarter-final stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, following Tuesday’s draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), mapped out the path to the final for the eight remaining contenders, setting up intriguing North African and Central African showdowns.
All-Moroccan Clash Guarantees Semi-Final Spot
Olympique de Safi will host Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of their tie, ensuring that Morocco will have at least one representative in the semi-finals. The clash pits two sides familiar with each other domestically, adding extra intensity to what is already a decisive knockout encounter.
Egyptian and Algerian Heavyweights in Action
Egyptian giants Zamalek SC will begin their campaign away to Congo’s AS Otoho, a tie that sees the five-time African champions seeking another continental crown.
Meanwhile, Al Masry SC will host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg, in what promises to be a tightly contested North Africa battle.
In another compelling fixture, AS Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo will take on Algeria’s USM Alger, as the Congolese side looks to capitalise on home advantage in the opening leg.
Quarter-Final Fixtures
- QF1: Al Masry (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
- QF2: Olympique de Safi (Morocco) vs Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- QF3: AS Otoho (Congo) vs Zamalek SC (Egypt)
- QF4: AS Maniema Union (DR Congo) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
The quarter-final first legs are scheduled for 15 March, with return fixtures set for 22 March.
Semi-Final Pathway Confirmed
The draw also determined the semi-final bracket:
- SF1: Winner of AS Maniema Union vs USM Alger will host the first leg against the winner of Olympique de Safi vs Wydad Casablanca.
- SF2: Winner of Al Masry vs CR Belouizdad will host the first leg against the winner of AS Otoho vs Zamalek SC.
The semi-finals will be played on 12 April (first leg) and 19 April (second leg).
The team advancing from the semi-finals will host the first leg of the final on 9 May, with the decisive second leg scheduled for 16 May.
With regional rivalries, heavyweight pedigrees, and emerging contenders all in the mix, the knockout stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup promises high drama as clubs across North and Central Africa vie for continental glory.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek, Kaizer Chiefs Drawn Together as CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Unveiled
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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