Caf Confederation Cup: Holders RS Berkane out in play-off round

RS Berkane celebrate with the Caf Super CupGetty Images

RS Berkane beat fellow Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca to win the Caf Super Cup in September

By Oluwashina Okeleji
Sports Writer

Holders RS Berkane suffered a shock early exit from the Caf Confederation Cup after an aggregate defeat by Tunisian club US Monastir on Wednesday.

Berkane, who also won the trophy in 2020, went into the home match of their play-off tie trailing 1-0 from the first leg.

The Moroccan club missed out on a place in the group stages after they could only draw 0-0 with their North African visitors - one of the 16 teams who had dropped down from the African Champions League, the continent's premier club competition.

Meanwhile, three-time Confederation Cup winners Sfaxien of Tunisia and former African champions Club Africain were also surprisingly knocked out, while Libyan club Al Akhdaar overturned a three-goal deficit to progress on away goals.

Burkina Faso international Stephane Aziz Ki was the hero for Young Africans as he scored to give the Tanzanians a tie-deciding 1-0 victory over Club Africain in Rades.

After a goalless first leg, the East Africans survived a stern test against the Tunisians before Aziz Ki stunned the raucous crowd in the 79th minute.

Sfaxien trailed 2-1 from the first leg against Togo's ASKO Kara and, like Berkane, exited after a goalless draw at home, with Kara becoming the first Togolese club to reach the group stage

The draw for which will be made in Cairo on November 16.

Late comeback in Libya

Nigeria's Plateau United manager Fidelis Ilechukwu says he cannot explain how his side threw away a 4-1 lead from the first leg against Libya's Al Akhdar to exit the competition.

A late collapse in Benghazi saw Al Akhdar win the second leg 3-0 to qualify on away goals.

Anas Al-Werfali's 57th-minute goal appeared insufficient to derail Plateau, but efforts from Mohamed Alkesta in the 85th and Mostafa Hamza in the third minute of stoppage time stunned the visitors.

"I honestly can't explain it," Ilechukwu said.

On a mixed night for Nigerian clubs in Libya, Rivers United drew 1-1 at Al Nasr to progress 6-1 on aggregate.

Elsewhere, police had to separate rival supporters after they clashed in Durban before Adam Bossu's first half strike helped DR Congo's TP Mazembe beat Royal AM of South Africa 1-0 to complete a 3-0 aggregate win for the five-time African champions.

Confederation Cup play-off round results

  • Marumo Gallants (South Africa) 3-0 Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya) (3-1 agg)

  • Saint-Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) 1-0 Rail Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) (2-0 agg)

  • CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) 0-0 ASKO Kara (Togo) (1-2 agg)

  • Diables Noirs (Congo) 4-2 La Passe (Seychelles) (6-2 agg)

  • Al Akhdar (Libya) 3-0 Plateau Utd (Nigeria) (4-4 agg, Al Akhdar win on away goals)

  • Real Bamako (Mali) 3-1 Royal Leopard (Eswatini) (4-2 agg)

  • Future (Egypt) 1-1 Primeiro Agosto (Angola) (2-2 agg - Future win 3-2 on penalties)

  • SC Gagnoa (Ivory Coast) 2-3 ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) 3 (2-5 agg)

  • Club Africain (Tunisia) 0-1 Young Africans (Tanzania) (0-1 agg)

  • Royal AM (South Africa) 0-1 TP Mazembe (DR Congo) (0-3 agg)

  • USM Alger (Algeria) 1-0 Cape Town City (South Africa) (1-0 agg)

  • Pyramids (Egypt) 3-0 ASN Nigelec (Niger) (3-1 agg)

  • DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) 2-1 Flambeau du Centre (Burundi) (4-1 agg)

  • AS FAR (Morocco) 4-0 Djoliba (Mali) (4-0 agg)

  • Renaissance Berkane (Morocco) 0-0 US Monastir (Tunisiaa) (0-1 agg)

  • Al Nasr (Libya) 1-1 Rivers Utd (Nigeria) (1-6 agg)

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