TUNISIA
There was not too much to decide on the final match day of the group stage at the 2023-24 CAF Confederation Cup but Group C provided plenty of drama in a conclusion that left Tunisian giants Club Africain stunned. Little was expected of the visitors from Angola, Académica do Lobito, who arrived in Tunisia to face Club Africain with zero points to their name from five matches but a surprise 1-1 draw in Tunis opened the door for Nigerian club Rivers United to snatch a quarterfinal spot.
Rivers found a goal in the final seconds to defeat Dreams FC by a 2-1 score in Port Harcourt and join the Ghanaian club as group runners-up in advancing to the quarterfinals at the expense of Club Africain. The stunned players of the Tunisian club were forced to run off the pitch with objects being thrown by angry home supporters, none of whom expected anything less than a routine victory for the hosts against already eliminated Académica who celebrated the draw like they won the competition.
Elsewhere, USM Alger confirmed themselves as the winner of Group A with a 2-1 victory over already eliminated SuperSport United of South Africa. USMA are joined by Group A runners-up Future FC after the Egyptian club demolished Libya’s Al-Hilal Benghazi with a 5-0 result in Cairo.
Morocco’s RS Berkane are the winners of Group D following a 3-0 victory at home over group runners-up Stade Malien. Finally, in Group B, Egyptian giants Zamalek were already confirmed as the group winners on the fifth match day and their final match with Académie SOAR was postponed after flight delays prevented the Guinean club from arriving in Cairo. Libyan club Abu Salim SC are the Group B runners-up despite suffering a 3-0 defeat in Angola to Sagrada Esperança, who finish a point behind Sunday’s opponents in third place
