CAF Confederation Cup
Confederation Cup path to Uyo is finalised today
The second leg semifinals for the CAF Confederation Cup will take place on Sunday and the aggregate winners will book a ticket for the great final in Uyo, Nigeria.
TP Mazembe and Orlando Pirates secured first leg wins a week earlier, but Berkane and Al Ahli Tripoli have not said their last word.
Renaissance Berkane v TP Mazembe, Stade Municipal de Berkane, 19h00 GMT
Once more, Berkane suffered a bad result last week in Lubumbashi. Despite a solid match, the Moroccans lost to Mazembe late goal. An away- defeat that Florent Ibenge’s men can regret. Playing home on Sunday, Berkane will have to be realistic. They absolutely need a victory to move to the final but first, they will need to equalize on the aggregate score.
After their title in 2020, Berkane want to repeat the feat by winning CAF Confederation Cup trophy again. They will need to attack quickly against Mazembe. Almost non-existent during the first leg, forwards Chadrack Muzungu or El Bahri will be able to benefit from the support of their public.
Meanwhile, the scenario seems perfect for the Ravens. With their 1-0 victory in the first leg, they have plenty to see coming. Leave the game to Berkane who must score and proceed with counterattacks, the different strategies must be running through the head of coach Franck Dumas. But unlike Berkane, Mazembe travel quite well on the continent. With all their experience in interclub competitions, the Congolese know how to obtain results far from their base.
Orlando Pirates v Al Ahli Tripoli, Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, 16h00 GMT
The work seems to have been done during the first. But in football, you should never take a result for granted when the match is still on. Orlando Pirates achieved the best operation by winning 2-0 last week. Even if the predictions seem now in favor of the Buccaneers, one should not bury the Liyan side too soon.
Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Ofori is one of the greatest assets of the Pirates’ weapons. His statistics are clear with 6 games, 5 clean sheets and only one goal conceded from the penalty spot. His compatriot Kwame Prepah brings many difficulties to the opponents. The South Africans are close to another interclub final after reaching 2017 Champions League final.
Will Al Ahli Tripoli give up without a real fight? The Libyan side have had a great competition so far. But on the way, the Tripoli men have lacked resources, challenged by the Pirates who quickly scored two goals. They will now have to find solutions against a team that is difficult to move at home. But Al Ahli Tripoli have shown that they can weaken the best teams this season.
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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