CAF Confederation Cup
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP: RANGERS SEEK REVENGE ON ÉTOILE
BY APESIN ADEMOLA
Rangers blew their early lead in Sousse a week ago to return home empty-handed. The defeat – their first in the competition after seven matches in all – dragged the Flying Antelopes from top spot to third on the log.
Victory is all Rangers will seek today to improve their standing and shoot back to the heights of Group B, if current leaders CS Sfaxien fail to shine against Salitas in Ouagadougou.
After playing goalless with Salitas in the first leg, Sfaxien, one of the two Tunisian clubs in this group, top the table but are only one point ahead of both their compatriots Étoile and Rangers.
Group A features three Moroccan sides, two of them (RS Berkane and Hassania Agadir) setting the pace, while the third Raja Casablanca take the rear. Will leaders RS Berkane go soft on Raja to enable the reigning champions have a reason to cheer? The head-to-head clash with the Moroccan teams hold at Stade Municipal de Berkane with the home side having a bragging right after winning Casablanca 4-2 last week.
Berkane have acquired seven points in three matches as against four for Hassania Agadir and two each for Congo Republic’s AS Otôho and Raja.
Hassania Agadir are away to Congo Republic’s AS Otôho. In the first leg, Hassania Agadir won 2-1.
Group C remains open with Zambia’s Nkana leading by six points, while both ZESCO United of Zambia and Sudan’s Al-Hilal are two points adrift and Asante Kotoko of Ghana three points behind the leaders.
Ashante Kotoko receive Nkana in Kumasi and will recall their 1-3 loss in the first leg, while Al-Hilal, who played 1-1 in the reverse match, host ZESCO.
In Group D, log leaders Gor Mahia are away in Algeria against the team they have a two-point advantage over, while Petro de Luanda, who have the same four points with Hussein Dey, host Zamalek, who have been so disappointing. One of the powerhouses of African club football, Zamalek have posted only two draws in three matches to be at the foot of the table.
Gor Mahia had triumphed 2-0 over Hussein Dey, while Zamalek could only manage 1-1 at home to Petro de Luanda last Sunday.
Matchday 4 fixtures…
Group B:
- Rangers (Nigeria) v Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) (first leg Étoile du Sahel 2-1) (2pm)
- Salitas FC (Burkina Faso) v CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) (first leg 0-0) (5pm)
Group A:
- AS Otôho (Congo Republic) v Hassania Agadir (Morocco) (first leg Hassania Agadir 2-1) (2pm)
- RS Berkane (Morocco) v Raja Casablanca (Morocco) (first leg RS Berkane 4-2) (8pm)
Group C:
- Ashante Kotoko SC (Ghana) v Nkana (Zambia) (first leg Nkana 3-1) (2pm)
- Al-Hilal (Sudan) v ZESCO United (Zambia) (first leg 1-1) (5pm)
Group D:
- Petro de Luanda (Angola) v Zamalek (Egypt) (first leg 1-1) (5pm)
- NA Hussein Dey (Algeria) v Gor Mahia (Kenya) (first leg Gor Mahia 2-0) (8pm)
Mean while, CS Constantine of Algeria came from behind twice at home to edge Ismaily of Egypt 3-2 Saturday and virtually clinch a CAF Champions League quarter-finals place.
The Algerians top Group C with 10 points, five-time trophy-holders TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo have seven, Club Africain of Tunisia four and Ismaily one.
Constantine, who reached the group phase of the elite African club competition for the first time this season, host Africain next Saturday and one point will seal a last-eight place.
Needing maximum points to have any hope of survival, Ismaily were ahead within 13 minutes through Emad Hamdy, whose own-goal last weekend gifted the Algerians a 1-1 draw in Egypt.
Nasreddine Zaalani became the first Constantine footballer to score twice in the competition this season when he equalised in first-half stoppage-time.
Namibian Benson Shilongo put Ismaily ahead again on 50 minutes only for final-quarter goals from Nassim Yeltou and Congolese Dylan Bahamboula to win the match for the home team.
Constantine hope to emulate Entente Setif, JS Kabylie and Mouloudia Alger and bring the most prized CAF club trophy back to Algeria after a four-year absence.
With Ismaily on the way out, the chances of a 15th Egyptian triumph in the Champions League rest with Group D leaders and record eight-time winners Al Ahly.
AFP
CAF Confederation Cup
Shooting Stars, Ikorodu City, in Winner-Takes-All Quest for Confederation Cup ticket
By Kunle Solaja.
The battle for the Nigeria Premier Football League’s remaining CAF Confederation Cup ticket will go down to the wire on the final day of the season, with Shooting Stars and Ikorodu City locked in a tense race for third place.
While title contenders, Enugu Rangers International and Rivers United, have already secured Nigeria’s slots in next season’s CAF Champions League, the contest for the Confederation Cup place remains delicately poised.
Shooting Stars currently occupy third position with 60 points, holding a narrow two-point advantage over fourth-placed Ikorodu City, who sit on 58 points ahead of the 24 May decisive fixtures.
The Ibadan side is in pole position and needs only to avoid defeat away to Niger Tornadoes to confirm a return to continental football next season.
However, Ikorodu City still has a fighting chance of snatching the ticket.
The Lagos-based club must defeat title-chasing Rangers and hope Shooting Stars stumble against Niger Tornadoes to overturn the deficit and leapfrog the Oluyole Warriors into third place.
Their clash against Rangers is expected to rank among the standout fixtures of the final day, with both teams carrying huge ambitions into the encounter.
For Ikorodu City, the situation revives painful memories from last season when they chased a continental ticket from two fronts but ended up empty-handed.
The club narrowly missed out on third place after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to eventual champions Remo Stars in Ikenne on the final day, despite taking the lead in the encounter. The result pushed them down to fourth position.
Their hopes of reaching the continent through the Federation Cup also ended in heartbreak after a penalty shootout loss to Abakaliki FC in the semi-finals following a goalless draw.
Now, with another opportunity within reach, Ikorodu City will hope fortune finally smiles on them as they seek what would be a historic continental qualification.
With the title race, continental qualification battle, and survival struggles all still unresolved, the final day of the NPFL season is set to deliver tension and drama across the country.
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Hosts USM Alger converted a controversial stoppage-time penalty to edge Egyptian giants Zamalek 1-0 in Saturday’s first leg of the African Confederation Cup final at the Stade du 5 Juillet in the Algerian capital Algiers.
Ahmed Khaldi converted the spot kick after Zamalek thought they had snatched a late winner through Brazilian substitute Juan Alvina, who ran half the length of the pitch to tuck away a superb individual effort.
But the strike was ruled out, and play was brought back for a foul in the build-up when VAR found Hossam Abdelmaguid had caught Rayane Mahrouz with a knee in the back.
Early in the second half, Zamalek’s Angolan import Chico Banza had a looping effort over USMA goalkeeper Oussama Benbot cleared off the line by defender Hocine Dehiri
USMA enjoyed fervent support but will now be up against it in Cairo when Zamalek host the second leg next Saturday.
Zamalek previously won the Confederation Cup in 2019 and 2024, while USMA were victors in 2023.
-Reuters
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Two of Africa’s most decorated clubs will renew their continental ambitions on Saturday when USM Alger host Zamalek SC in the first leg of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup final in Algiers.
The eagerly anticipated showdown at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 is expected to set the tone for what promises to be another fiercely contested final in Africa’s secondary club competition, with not only continental prestige at stake but also a record first prize of USD 4 million for the eventual winners.
USM Alger, champions in 2023, will be aiming to reclaim the title they won after edging Tanzania’s Young Africans on away goals in a dramatic two-legged final. The Algerian side booked their place in this season’s final through another tense away-goals triumph, eliminating Morocco’s Olympic Club Safi after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
For Zamalek, the final presents an opportunity to further cement their reputation as one of Africa’s elite clubs. The Egyptian giants lifted the Confederation Cup in 2019 and again in 2024, beating Morocco’s RS Berkane on both occasions after nail-biting aggregate scorelines.
The White Knights also had to navigate a difficult semi-final path this season, edging fellow Algerian side CR Belouizdad 1-0 on aggregate thanks to a crucial away victory inspired by Brazilian forward Juan Alvina.
Recent history suggests little will separate the two finalists. Several Confederation Cup finals in recent years have been decided on away goals or penalties, and another tight contest is widely expected over the two legs.
Saturday’s opening encounter in Algiers will be officiated by Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida, while Gabonese official Pierre Atcho will handle the decisive return leg in Cairo on 16 May.
With a passionate home crowd expected behind them, USM Alger will look to establish an advantage before travelling to the intimidating atmosphere of Cairo International Stadium for the second leg.
Zamalek, however, arrive with vast continental experience and a proven ability to thrive under pressure in away fixtures, setting the stage for a compelling battle between North African heavyweights.
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