Online Reporter
USM Alger of Algeria squeezed into the CAF Confederation Cup final on away goals by drawing 1-1 at Olympique Safi of Morocco on Sunday after crowd trouble delayed the kick-off.
The two-leg semifinal finished 1-1 on aggregate after a goalless match in Algiers last weekend.
USM now face Zamalek of Egypt on May 9 and 16 in the final.
At stake in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League will be a record $4 million first prize – an increase of 100 per cent from last season.The kick-off was delayed 80 minutes after rival supporters threw projectiles and a Moroccan journalist was reportedly taken to hospital having been assaulted.
Ahmed Khaldi converted a penalty four minutes into first half added time to put the Algiers outfit ahead and leave Safi needing to score two unanswered goals to reach the final.
They managed one, after 75 minutes, when Senegalese substitute Moussa Kone scored his sixth goal of the African campaign with a far-post header after a corner.
But the home team, roared on by the majority of supporters in an 8 000-capacity stadium in the southern coastal city, rarely looked like scoring again.
After 10 minutes of added time in the first half, an additional 20 minutes were added to the second period in a tense match that was constantly interrupted.Players feigned injuries and constantly disputed decisions of the Rwandan referee, bottles were flung on the pitch and fireworks temporarily created a cloud of smoke over the pitch.
USM won the Confederation Cup in 2023 and claimed a second CAF trophy that year thanks to a surprise victory over then African champions Al Ahly of Egypt in the Super Cup match.
Zamalek are the second most successful club in CAF competitions after Cairo neighbours Ahly, winning 13 titles, including the Confederation Cup twice.
Meanwhile, Zamalek of Egypt moved closer to a record-equalling third Caf Confederation Cup title despite being held 0-0 at home by Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria on Friday in a semifinal second leg.
The Cairo-based White Knights won the tie 1-0 on aggregate and will meet another Algerian club, 2023 title-holders USM Alger in the two-leg final.Zamalek won the African equivalent of the Uefa Europa League in 2019 and 2024, edging Renaissance Berkane of Morocco on both occasions, first after a penalty shootout, then on away goals.
If the Egyptians go on to lift the trophy again and pocket the record four-million-dollar first prize, they will match the record of CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, winners in 2007, 2008 and 2013. The second leg of the semifinal in front of a near-capacity crowd in the 75 000-seater Cairo International Stadium was a typically cagey North African affair dominated by defences.
Belouizdad had more possession in each half and won the corner count 5-1, but Zamalek had all but one of the six shots on target.
Zamalek had the ball in the net midway through the first half, but an Oday Dabbagh far-post header into the opposite corner of the net off an Ahmed Fatouh free-kick was ruled marginally offside.
The home side, whose 13 Caf titles are bettered only by the 25 of Cairo neighbours Al Ahly, went close to breaking the deadlock soon after with a low Mohamed Ismail shot just off target.
USM will stage the first leg of the final on 9 May. The return match is set for Cairo on 16 May.—Reuters.
Mathew Masinge