CAF Confederation Cup Matchday 4: Berkane Reach Last Eight as Teams Battle for Knockout Spots
The CAF Confederation Cup Matchday 4 delivered an exhilarating weekend of football, with teams fighting fiercely for a place in the knockout stages of Africa’s premier secondary club competition. RS Berkane emerged as the first team to secure their spot in the quarter-finals, setting the stage for an intense final round of group matches.
Group A: Constantine Dominates, Simba Closes In
CS Constantine displayed their dominance with a resounding 4-0 victory over Angola’s Bravos do Maquis. Miloud Rebiai and Tosin Omoyele established an early lead, while Abdennour Belhocini and Dadi El Hocine Mouaki added two late goals to complete the rout.
Simba SC kept pace with a narrow 1-0 victory against CS Sfaxien, thanks to a solitary strike from Jean Ahoua. Both teams now sit atop the group, each with nine points, while Bravos do Maquis trails in third with six, and Sfaxien remains winless, effectively out of contention.
Group B: Berkane Advances, Stellenbosch Revives Hopes
RS Berkane’s perfect record continues as they ground out a 1-0 win over Stade Malien, officially becoming the first team to qualify for the knockout stages. Stellenbosch FC, on the other hand, reignited their campaign with a solid 2-0 victory against CD Lunda Sul, driven by a second-half brace from Andre de Jong.
Berkane leads Group B with 12 points, followed by Stellenbosch with six. Stade Malien and Lunda Sul languish at four and one point, respectively, making their chances of advancing increasingly slim.
Group C: Tight at the Top
In Group C, USM Alger maintained their hold on the top spot with a 1-1 draw against ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan. The Algerians now sit on eight points, while Mimosas and Jaraaf are locked in a tight battle with five points each after Jaraaf secured a narrow 1-0 triumph over Orapa United, who remain at the bottom with two points.
Group D: Enyimba Shines While Zamalek Stumbles
Enyimba thrilled their home crowd in Aba with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Mozambique’s Black Bulls, powered by a standout performance from Joseph Atule, who scored twice. In contrast, Zamalek could only manage a frustrating goalless draw in the Egyptian derby against Al Masry.
Zamalek leads Group D with eight points, followed closely by Al Masry at five. Enyimba and Black Bulls are tied at four points, keeping the competition alive as they vie for advancement.
Matchday 4 Results
Group A
– Constantine 4-0 Bravos do Maquis
– Simba 1-0 CS Sfaxien
Group B
– Berkane 1-0 Stade Malien
– Stellenbosch 2-0 CD Lunda Sul
Group C
– USM Alger 1-1 ASEC Mimosas
– Jaraaf 1-0 Orapa United
Group D
– Enyimba 4-1 Black Bulls
– Zamalek 0-0 Al Masry
Group Standings
Group A
- Constantine – 9 pts
- Simba – 9 pts
- Bravos do Maquis – 6 pts
- CS Sfaxien – 0 pts
Group B
- Berkane – 12 pts
- Stellenbosch – 6 pts
- Stade Malien – 4 pts
- CD Lunda Sul – 1 pt
Group C
- USM Alger – 8 pts
- ASEC Mimosas – 5 pts
- Jaraaf – 5 pts
- Orapa United – 2 pts
Group D
- Zamalek – 8 pts
- Al Masry – 5 pts
- Enyimba – 4 pts
- Black Bulls – 4 pts
Upcoming Fixtures
Group A
– 12 Jan: Bravos do Maquis vs Simba
– 12 Jan: CS Constantine vs CS Sfaxien
Group B
– 12 Jan: CD Lunda Sul vs Berkane
– 12 Jan: Stellenbosch vs Stade Malien
Group C
– 12 Jan: Jaraaf vs ASEC Mimosas
– 12 Jan: Orapa United vs USM Alger
Group D
– 12 Jan: Black Bulls vs Zamalek
– 12 Jan: Enyimba vs Al Masry
