CAF Confederation Cup
SUPER-SUB HABA EARNS HOROYA VITAL DRAW AT ENYIMBA
Boniface Haba came off the bench to score a vital equalizer as Guinean giants Horoya held Nigeria’s Enyimba to a 1-1 draw in Aba on Sunday.
Augustine Oladapo had given the home side a first half lead with his third goal of the tournament, but Haba struck back with 20 minutes left for a significant away goal.
In a tightly contested tie, the opening minutes didn’t give much of attacking flair until the 18th when the home side broke the deadlock.
Off a quickly started freekick, Enyimba found the Horoya backline off guard with Oladapo taking one touch to set himself up before firing a vicious left foot strike.
Horoya had chances to draw back level with Alseny Camara coming close with a well taken curling effort from the left which evaded the target by inches.
Aristide Bance lined up next for a chance when he was sent through on goal from the edge of the area but his shot didn’t gather enough sting as it rolled straight to keeper Theophilus Aphelokhai’s waiting arms.
Ghanaian Atta Agyei then did well to find space on the right before cutting back to Morlaye Sylla but his rasping shot was blocked by the defense.
At the stroke of halftime, Enyimba should have doubled their tally when they won a freekick at the edge of the box from good scoring range, but Victor Mbaoma sent the effort straight into the wall.
In the second half, Horoya started off with making changes 10 minutes in, Haba coming on for Bance while Sekou Camara limped off injured and was replaced by Tafadzwa Kutinyu.
The new legs added some firepower for Horoya and they drew level in the 70th minute when Haba beautifully bounced in a header into the bottom left after a pin point cross from Boubacar Samassekou on the right.
The goal lifted Horoya’s spirits but they could not make that count into goals as their decision making failed them in the final third.
At the death, Enyimba would have grabbed the win, but Victor Mbaoma’s execution of a cross inside the box was awry, his attempt at bouncing a volley into the net not being effective as it was cleared away.
Heading into the return tie in Conakry next weekend, Horoya head back home with an away goal advantage and will hope to use it to claim a slot in the semi-finals.
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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