CAF Champions League: One Dead As Violence Mar Raja Casablanca vs Al-Ahly Showdown

• The CAF Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Raja Casablanca and Al-Ahly has left one dead
• Reports from Morocco have it that a 29-year-old woman lost her life while trying to gain entry into the stadium
• The president of the club has expressed condolences to the family of the deceased as an investigation into the incident is underway

Police authorities have launched an investigation to unravel how a football fan died at the entrance of the Stade Mohammed V before Raja Casablanca’s match against Al-Ahly.

It was the reverse fixture of the CAF Champions League, and fans thronged the stadium in a bid to see the encounter.

Reports from Morocco claim a 29-year-old woman lost her life as thousands tried to enter the facility.

Raja lost the first leg 2-0, and they were desperate to overturn the result, but it started with some crowd trouble, but it ended 0-0.

Vela strikes twice as LAFC beat Galaxy in MLS derby thriller

Football

The Moroccan club said in a statement via Reuters:

"Aziz El Badrawy, President of Al-Raja Club Athletic, in his name and on behalf of all members of the club, extends his deepest condolences to the family of the fan, Noura, who passed away before our team's match against Al-Ahly."

In another quarter-final game of the CAF Champions League involving Esperance of Tunisia and Algeria's JS Kabylie in Tunis on Saturday, violence erupted, prompting officials to delay kick-off for about 40 minutes.

Esperance fans clashed with Tunisian security forces and lit fireworks on the terraces at halftime of the tie at Rades Stadium. Firefighters had to be called out to extinguish several small fires in front of the stands.

Algerian fans also complained that they had been subjected to unjustified attacks by security forces.

Kahraba stars as Ahly eye African title after surviving scare

Football

Zizi Kodwa wants SA teams protected

Sports Brief earlier reported that South African teams travelling to other African countries must be better protected.

This was the plea from the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, to his fellow countryman and CAF president, Patrice Motsepe.

This was in the wake of some members of the Marumo Gallants' management being held captive by a Libyan hotel for alleged non-payment following a CAF Confederations Cup match.