GAZETTE REPORTER
Title holders RS Berkane managed to advance to the play-off stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday after surviving the first-leg scare of Kwara United. The Moroccans defeated Kwara United 2-0 in the second-leg at home to be able to advance on a 3-3 aggregate scoreline, having lost 3-1 to the Nigerians last week.
Goals in either half in Berkane by Djibril Ouattara and Charki El-Bahri helped the Moroccan to advance to play in the playoff stage of the competition. The match was the biggest focus of the second round of the qualifiers as the second-leg matches were played across the continent with some surprising results.
Fakhereedine Ben Youssef scored a hat-trick to help Egyptian side Pyramids inflict a 7-0 defeat on Hilal Alsahil of Sudan in Cairo to advance 9-0 on aggregate.
Their compatriots Future were another big winners as they hammered Kallon Stars of Sierra Leone 4-0 to secure a 6-0 aggregate qualification.
Ahmed Khalil and Hmadi Labidi scored a brace each, helping Tunisia side Club Africain to win 7-0 at home against Tanzanian side Kipanga to advance 7-0 on aggregate.
FAR Rabat of Morocco also won big with a 4-0 second-leg victory over Guinean club Ashanti GB in Rabat to qualify 5-0 on aggregate.
St Eloi Lupopo, Club Sfaxien and USM Algiers or Marumo Gallants will see the framing round. will play in the playoff just like Real Bamako who qualified despite the 1-0 defeat in Accra, eliminated former champions Hearts of Oak of Ghana.
Tanzania’s Azam beat Libya’s Al Akhdar 2-0 but was insufficient to advance while Diables Noirs of Congo and Motema Pembe won easily to advance.
All these clubs will face those eliminated from the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies Champions League, on November 2 and 9, to reach the group stage of the TotalEnergies Confederation Cup this season.
There are some great teams to face the winners of the Confed Cup second round as the eliminated teams from the Champions League includes giants TP Mazembe, ASEC, Rivers United, Plateau United, Primeiro Agosto, Royal Leopards, Young Africans, ASKO, Al Merreikh and several other top clubs.
The draw for this playoff stage is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18.