Renaissance Berkane win African Confederation Cup after stalemate in second leg of final
ZANZIBAR - Morocco's Renaissance Berkane won the African Confederation Cup on Sunday, holding on for a 1-1 draw against 10-man Simba of Tanzania away in the second leg of the final for a 3-1 aggregate victory.
A two-goal advantage from last week's home first leg provided the foundation for a third success in the Confederation Cup in the last six years for the club from the north-east of Morocco.
But they endured a difficult afternoon at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar as Simba went ahead in the 15th minute through Joshua Mutale and then missed a gilt-edge chance in front of goal minutes later.
Simba had midfielder Yusuph Kagoma sent off five minutes into the second half for a second cautionable offence and two more members of their technical staff were sent to the stands in a tempestuous encounter.
Despite the one-man disadvantage, Simba had the ball in the Berkane net again in the 73rd minute after Steven Mukwala glanced home Jean Charles Aboua's free kick but the goal was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Berkane then made sure of success when substitute Soumaila Sidibe snatched an equaliser from a tight angle at the start of nine minutes of stoppage time.
It crowned a dream season for Berkane, who won a first Moroccan league title earlier in the season. Their third Confederation Cup success equals the record for the most successes in the competition, held by Tunisia's CS Sfaxien. REUTERS
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