Match Day 1 of TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Ends

The group stage of the Confederation Cup started with thrilling matches in North Africa: victories for "Zamalek", "USM Alger", and "RS Berkane".

Match Day 1 of the group stages concluded with an array of riveting fixtures in North Africa. Defending champions "Zamalek" (Egypt), "USM Alger" (Algeria), and "RS Berkane" (Morocco) hosted their opening matches within their groups.

Two-time champions "Zamalek" continued their title defense with a smooth 2-0 victory over Mozambique's "Black Bulls FC". Two goals by Ahmed Abdelhamid in the 45th minute and an early second-half effort by Nabil Emad ensured a strong start to their Group D campaign.

The champions of the 2021/22 edition, Morocco's "RS Berkane", welcomed "Club Desportivo de Lunda Sul" of Angola to their Group B opener. With a firm intent to reclaim their title, "Berkane" secured a convincing 2-0 win courtesy of an Issoufou Dayo brace in the 21st and 79th minutes, positioning the former champions at the top of the group.

The final encounter of the evening unfolded with high drama in Algiers, where "USM Alger" played host to debutants "Orapa United" from Botswana. A harsh 6-0 defeat marked a tough initiation for the southern African team. Early goals from Ismail Belkacemi and contributions from Saadi Raouani and Wale Alli gave the Algerians a four-goal lead before halftime. The margin extended in the second half with a goal from Nabil Lamara right after the restart, followed by a 71st-minute strike from Islam Mrili to seal a commanding win for the former champions.

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup action resumes on Sunday, December 8, with Match Day 2 of the group stages, promising more exhilarating clashes.