CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final line-up has been finalised with defending champions Zamalek leading a formidable array of clubs into the knock-out stages.

Eight teams from six nations will battle for continental glory when the quarter-finals commence on March 30, with the return legs scheduled for April 6.

Zamalek, who topped Group D with an impressive 14 points, are joined by fellow Egyptian side Al-Masry in the knockout stages.

The White Knights sealed their progress with a convincing 3-1 victory over Nigeria’s Enyimba on Sunday on the final matchday.

Tanzania’s Simba SC emerged as Group A winners, with Algeria’s CS Constantine securing second place.

Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane, previous winners of the competition, topped Group B ahead of South African debutants Stellenbosch.

USM Alger’s dominant Group C campaign saw them accumulate 14 points, while ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire dramatically claimed the final quarter-final berth with a convincing victory on the last day.

The quarter-final draw will prevent teams from the same group meeting, meaning Egyptian rivals Zamalek and Al-Masry cannot face each other until at least the semi-finals.

Zamalek will face one of CS Constantine, Stellenbosch, or ASEC Mimosas, while Al-Masry could meet Simba, Berkane, or USM Alger.

The tournament’s knockout phase structure ensures home advantage will be crucial, with group winners hosting the decisive second legs. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 20 and 27, with the two-legged final set for May 17 and 25.

The presence of former champions Zamalek and Berkane, alongside ambitious clubs like Simba and USM Alger, suggests an intriguing battle lies ahead for Africa’s second-tier club crown.

-CAF

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Enyimba have ended their continental campaign this season after losing 3-1 to Confederation Cup defending champions, Zamalek of Egypt in Cairo.

The hope of getting into the quarter-finals vanished following the loss and the victory of the other Egyptian side in Group D, Al-Masry who also beat Mozambique’s Black Bulls by 3-1.

Enyimba ended their group stage campaign with six points to place third.  

The two Egyptian sides, Zamalek and Al-Masry advanced with 14 and nine points respectively.

Enyimba could not capitalise on a depleted Zamalek who played without seven of their regular players.

Despite not having much at stake having qualified before the match and having to step down their potential strength, Zamalek opened the match with ferocity in search of an early goal.  

Enyimba relied mainly on defensive security and resorting to counterattacks.

Zamalek’s first chance came in the 10th minute, but Mohamed Atef’s shot from outside the penalty area was saved by the Enyimba’s goalkeeper.

Then followed another attack in the 14th- minute as Mustafa Shalaby fired a powerful shot that went next to the left post of Enyimba’s goal.

Al-Jaziri almost put Zamalek ahead in the 22nd minute with a header, but the ball went past the right post of the visitors’ goal.

In the 29th minute, Mostafa Shalaby succeeded in scoring the opening goal for Zamalek after receiving a cross from Zizo and meeting it with a direct header to the right of the goalkeeper.

Tunisian Seif Jaziri wasted a clear opportunity for the Whites in the 31st minute with a header that went next to the right post of the Nigerian team’s goalkeeper, before Jaziri wasted another opportunity in the 36th minute with a header.

Enyimba players resorted to shooting from outside the penalty area to hit Zamalek’s defence.  

At the beginning of the second half, Zamalek intensified attempts and Seif El-Jaziri succeeded in scoring the second goal in the 48th minute after he took advantage of a mistake by the Enyimba goalkeeper, took the ball from him and shot it into the empty goal.

Mohamed Sobhi shone in the 54th minute, blocking a powerful shot from outside Zamalek’s penalty area.

In the 57th minute, Ifeanyi Ihemekwele scored Enyimba’s  goal with a shot from inside Zamalek’s penalty area.

In the 88th minute, Seif El Jaziri scored Zamalek’s third goal with an individual effort after he dribbled past Enyimba’s defence line and shot the ball into an empty net.

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Tunisian striker Fakhreddine Ben Youssef scored a first-half hat-trick to fire Masry into the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals after a 3-1 home victory over Mozambique’s Black Bulls.

Securing their berth with a confident display, Masry clinched the second spot in Group D with a total of nine points, trailing behind table-toppers Zamalek, who also secured a quarterfinal spot with a five-point lead.

Maintaining a crucial four-point advantage over Nigeria’s Enyimba in third place, the Black Bulls found themselves at the bottom of the group standings with four points.

Ben Youssef initiated the scoring for Masry with a precise header from close range, capitalizing on a splendid cross from Karim Bambo.

The former Carthage Eagle striker then doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with a clinical right-footed finish from the heart of the box.

He completed his hat-trick three minutes later with another composed right-footed strike from the left side of the box, finding the bottom left corner with finesse.

Black Bulls managed to pull one back through Rume Akporoh, who netted a goal in the 57th minute with a well-placed right-footed shot after an assist by Khadre Gueye.

Despite dominating the first half, Masry faced early setbacks, missing a penalty kick just 13 minutes into the game as Hassan Ali struck the right post with a left-footed effort.

In the second half, Masry’s coach Ali Maher brought new blood onto the pitch to maintain their dominance and secure their passage to the knockout stage.

-Ahram

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H