CAF Cup holders Berkane fight back to reach play-offs

CAF Confederation Cup title-holders Renaissance Berkane of Morocco squeezed into the play-offs with a 2-0 win over Kwara United of Nigeria on Saturday.

Berkane won the last-32 tie on away goals after losing the first leg 3-1 in Lagos last weekend.

They and 15 other Confederation Cup winners will be drawn against CAF Champions League last-32 losers in a draw in Cairo on Tuesday.

The two-leg ties are set for November 2 and 9 with the overall winners progressing to the group stage, which kicks off in February.

Burkinabe Djibril Ouattara put Renaissance ahead on 16 minutes and Charki El Bahri doubled the lead nine minutes into the second half in the northeastern city of Berkane.

Moroccan clubs have dominated the Confederation Cup with Berkane and Raja Casablanca successful twice and FAR Rabat, FUS Rabat and Maghreb Fes once each since its 2004 launch.

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Football

Meanwhile, Egyptian outfit Pyramids, who reached the final and the semi-finals within the last three seasons, crushed Al Hilal Alsahil of Sudan 7-0 despite playing 60 minutes with 10 men.

The expensively assembled Cairo team, who won the first leg 2-0, had added six goals in the second encounter before one of the scorers, Islam Issa, was sent off.

Tunisian international Fakhreddine Ben Youssef spearheaded the rout with a nine-minute hat-trick and former Premier League player Ramadan Sobhi was also among the goals.

Pyramids are hoping to become the third Egyptian club to win the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League after famed Cairo neighbours Al Ahly and Zamalek.

While the qualification of Marumo Gallants was expected, fellow South Africans Royal AM sprang a surprise by eliminating vastly more experienced Zesco United of Zambia.

Leading 3-1 after the first leg against Elgeco Plus in Madagascar, Marumo won 1-0 in Polokwane through a Lehlohonolo Nonyane goal six minutes before half-time.

Zesco and Royal drew 1-1 in Ndola with the visitors advancing on away goals after a goalless first leg in Durban.

Collins Sikombe gave Zesco a first-half lead that was cancelled out by veteran Ruzaigh Gamildien early in the second half.

CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, who have lifted the Confederation Cup a record three times, found the going unexpectedly tough against Fasil Kenema of Ethiopia and had to settle for a 1-0 win.

The only goal of the second leg, and the tie, was scored by Mauritanian Ismael Diakite late in the first half in Sfax.