Raja Casablanca needed until the closing minutes, but they got there. A late free kick and a stoppage-time goal gave the Moroccan side a 2-0 home win over Nigeria’s El-Kanemi Warriors on October 23, sending Raja into the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
A tense night in Casablanca
The tie was level at 2-2 after the first leg in Ikenne, Nigeria, so Raja went into the return match at Mohammed V Stadium knowing that a win would settle it. Morocco World News reports that the hosts created several chances but did not score in the first half, with Mathias Oyewusi hitting the post and Mohamed Mekkaoui missing clear opportunities. Yassine Zoubair started in goal in place of Mehdi Harrar, and a Raja appeal for a penalty in the 71st minute was turned down by the referee.
Late goals decide it
The breakthrough came about two minutes before full time, when Barkok curled in a direct free kick, according to CAF and Morocco World News. Marian Huja added a second in stoppage time to make it 2-0 and 4-2 on aggregate, as reported by CAF.
- Result: Raja Casablanca 2-0 El-Kanemi Warriors (second leg)
- Aggregate: 4-2 to Raja after a 2-2 first leg in Nigeria
- Next step: the CAF Confederation Cup group stage
The sources reviewed do not name Raja’s group or opponents, so those will have to wait for the official draw. For Moroccan football fans it is another continental fixture to follow, while the national team’s own calendar is also filling up: see our report on the Atlas Lions’ November qualifiers against Niger.
Sources: Morocco World News; CAF Online; Africa Soccer
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