CAF Confederation Cup: Stellenbosch, Simba, RS Berkane and CS Constantine Advance to Semi-Finals
In a thrilling night of African club football , Simba SC secured their place in the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Al Masry. Meanwhile, Berkane cruised past ASEC, while Stellenbosch stunned Zamalek in Cairo, eliminating the defending champions. CS Constantine also made history by edging USM Alger on penalties, marking a remarkable achievement for the club. Here is a wrap up of all the action across Africa.
Stellenbosch stun Zamalek in Cairo as defending champions bow out
Stellenbosch FC’s dream Confederation Cup run continued on Wednesday evening after they sent shockwaves across the continent with a 1-0 win over defending champions, Zamalek SC in Cairo.
After holding the defending champions to a goalless draw in Cape Town last week, the tournament debutants had the mammoth task of travelling up north to face the Egyptian powerhouse in front of an intimidating Cairo crowd.
With the odds heavily stacked against them, Stellies – as the South African side is affectionately known did the unthinkable with a gallant showing that concluded with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Egyptian giants thanks to a late strike by midfielder, Sihle Nduli.
It was a cagey affair in Cairo from start to finish, with the visitors treading carefully against their more fancied opponents who also were cautious in their approach – wary of being caught on the break.
With the tie going into the break goalless, Zamalek came out stronger in the second half with the aim of putting matters to rest.
The tactic proved to work against them, as their added numbers in attack exposed them at the back.
It was in the 79th minute that Sihle Nduli, found the back of the net with a late strike that silenced the Cairo International Stadium.
With victory well in sight for the tournament debutants, they held on against the ongoing attack of the hosts who tried breaking the stubborn defense but did not have luck on their side against a well structed Steve Barker led side.
The victory for Stellenbosch sees them set up a semi-final encounter against Tanzanian giants, Simba SC who overturned a 2-0 first leg defeat to Al Masry to advance 4-1 on penalties following their 2-0 victory in Dar Es Salaam.
Simba seal semi-final berth after penalty triumph over Al Masry
Tanzanian giants Simba SC overcame a two-goal first-leg deficit to knock Egypt’s Al Masry out in dramatic fashion, winning 4-1 on penalties after a 2-0 win in regulation time in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
Goals in the first half from Elie Mpanzu and Steven Mukwala gave Simba the cushion they needed to level the tie on aggregate, following their defeat by the same scoreline in the first leg in Suez.
The shootout saw the home side dispatch four well-taken penalties, while Al Masry missed two of their three attempts.
Backed by a vocal crowd at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Simba wasted no time asserting dominance. Mpanzu opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing off a solo run with a precise shot past Mahmoud Gad in the Al Masry goal.
Just ten minutes later, Mukwala doubled the lead with a powerful header that left the goalkeeper stranded.
The first half was marred by stoppages, including an injury to Al Masry’s Beninese defender Samadou, who was later substituted. Despite their efforts to respond, the Egyptians struggled to gain a foothold in the match.
Al Masry looked brighter in the second half after introducing Mido Gaber and Mohamed Hashem. A controversial moment arose when Simba were awarded a penalty, only for the decision to be overturned after a VAR check.
Mahmoud Gad redeemed himself with several crucial saves, denying Simba from extending their lead in open play. However, he couldn’t repeat those heroics during the penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Simba were flawless. Jean Ahoua, Mukwala, Kibu Dennis, and Shomari Kapombe all converted their penalties with clinical precision.
Al Masry, on the other hand, faltered under pressure. Fakhreddine Ben Youssef was the only scorer, while both Mido Gaber and Mahmoud Hamada failed to convert, sealing their side’s elimination.
The result ends Al Masry’s hopes of returning to the Confederation Cup semi-finals, a stage they last reached in 2018.
For Simba, it marks a major milestone as they head into the semi-finals, awaiting the winner between Zamalek and Stellenbosch.
Berkane ease past ASEC to reach semi-finals
Moroccan side RS Berkane booked their spot in the semi-finals.with a second straight 1-0 victory over ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday night.
Playing at their home ground, the Berkane Municipal Stadium, the two-time champions left it late but did enough to seal a 2-0 aggregate win over the Ivorian giants.
Oussama Lamlioui’s 75th-minute strike proved decisive as the Moroccan champions controlled proceedings to complete a deserved quarter-final triumph.
Having already edged the first leg in Abidjan by the same scoreline, Berkane returned home in front of a passionate crowd with the advantage and showed no intention of defending their lead.
Coach Moine Chaabani’s men dominated the game, creating a host of chances but were wasteful in front of goal for large spells.
Their breakthrough came with 15 minutes remaining when Meloui capitalised on sustained pressure to slot home the only goal of the night, sending the home fans into celebration.
ASEC Mimosas, despite their rich history in African football, were unable to mount a comeback and bowed out of the tournament without scoring a goal over the two legs.
With this result, RS Berkane – champions in 2020 and 2022 – move one step closer to adding a third CAF Confederation Cup trophy to their cabinet.
The club has developed a strong pedigree in the competition and remains one of the most consistent performers in recent seasons.
Their semi-final opponents will be Algeria’s CS Constantine, who advanced after a dramatic penalty shootout win over USM Alger in an all-Algerian quarter-final.
For ASEC Mimosas, the loss brings another frustrating end to their continental campaign. Despite a promising group stage, the Ivorian club failed to find their rhythm over the two-legged tie, falling short against a more cohesive and clinical Berkane side.
CS Constantine edge USM Alger on penalties to reach historic semi-final
Algeria’s CS Constantine booked a place in the semi-finals for the first time in their history after defeating domestic rivals USM Alger in a tense penalty shootout on Wednesday night.
The quarter-final second leg, held at the Stade 5 Juillet in Algiers, ended 1-1 in regulation time — mirroring the result of the first leg in Constantine — before Constantine triumphed 4-3 in the shootout to complete a dramatic victory.
USM Alger, last season’s champions, struck first through Adam Alilat, who calmly slotted home a 26th-minute penalty to put the hosts ahead. That early lead gave USMA the advantage, but Constantine were not to be denied.
In the 56th minute, a well-worked move saw Mehdi Deeb tee up Abdelnour Belhousini, whose glancing header beat Benbot to level the tie once again. The game became increasingly cagey in the closing stages, with both sides creating half-chances but failing to convert.
The best opportunity to win the tie in regulation time fell to Boussliou in the 83rd minute, but his header drifted wide after a pinpoint delivery from Khaldi.
With no winner after 90 minutes, the match proceeded to penalties — and it was CS Constantine who held their nerve, converting four of their spot-kicks to seal a famous victory and spark wild celebrations.
The result sets up a mouthwatering semi-final between CS Constantine and Morocco’s RS Berkane, last season’s runners-up and two-time winners of the competition. For Constantine, the achievement marks a major milestone in the club’s continental journey.
Meanwhile, USM Alger will be left ruing missed opportunities in their title defence, falling short of a return to the semi-finals just a year after lifting the trophy.
The Confederation Cup semi-finals now feature RS Berkane vs CS Constantine, and Simba SC of Tanzania against South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC, setting up an exciting conclusion to the tournament.
