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Berkane attribute success to last season disappointment

Sport
Morocco side Renaissance Sportive De Berkane have attributed their success in the CAF Confederation Cup to the disappointment of losing in the final of the same competition last season. Berkane lost to Egyptian giants Zamalek on penalties last year and it was second time luck after they beat Pyramids FC to lift the continent’s second […]

Morocco side Renaissance Sportive De Berkane have attributed their success in the CAF Confederation Cup to the disappointment of losing in the final of the same competition last season.

Berkane lost to Egyptian giants Zamalek on penalties last year and it was second time luck after they beat Pyramids FC to lift the continent’s second tier continental competition on Sunday.

The club also delivered a seventh triumph in the club competition for Morocco football.

“Last year’s experience for the club in the same competition taught us a lot of lessons. This year we have fought until we reached the final game which reminded us of the last season’s final that we lost in Egypt against Zamalek on penalties. As you have seen, we deserved our win tonight and I say congratulations to all my teammates and to all its staff and members,” fullback Mohamed Aziz said.

The CAF Confederation Cup title won by Berkane is the seventh of its kind for Moroccan football and the fifth in the new format of the competition.

The Caf Cup was launched by the African Confederation of Football in 1992, modelled after the UEFA Cup.

It was designed for domestic league runners-up or teams ranked third in their respective leagues.

The Cup added to the other two pre-existing club competitions in the African continent at the time, which were the African Cup of Club Champions and the African Cup Winners’ Cup.

Morocco’s breakthrough in the CAF Cup came in 1996 after Kawkab De Marrakech’s 2 – 0 victory over Tunisians Etoile De Sahel in the second leg final at Al Harty Stadium in Marrakech.

The first leg final match had finished 3 – 1 in favour of the Tunisians.

In 2003, Morocco won its second title in the competition after a scoreless draw between Raja Athletic club in Cameroon against Coton Sport in the second leg final, while the first leg’s score was a 2 – 0 victory for the Rajaouis.

However, in 2004, CAF decided to merge the CAF Cup with the African Winners’ Cup to launch what is called today the CAF Confederation Cup.

In 2005, Royal Armed Forces of Rabat (FAR), won their first title in the competition after a historical victory over Nigerian side Dolfins, 3 – 0 in Rabat in the second leg final.

The first leg final had finished 1 – 0 in favour of the Nigerians.

Five years later, it was the turn of the second Rabat club, Fath Union to win their first title in the CAF Confederation Cup after their win in Tunisia over Club Sportif De Sfaxien 3 – 2 in the second leg final.

In 2011, Moghreb De Fes, was the fifth Moroccan club to win the cup in its history and the third in the history of the new cup’s format.

They beat Club Africain of Tunisia in the second leg final at the big stadium in Fes on penalties after a 1 – 0 victory for the Moroccans at the end of the match.

Raja won their second title in the CAF Cup in 2018.

The Green Eagles lost 3 – 1 in the second leg final in Democratic Republic of Congo against Vita club but a 3 – 0 first leg home win tilted the match in their favour.

Morocco won the African Cup Winners’ Cup only once, back in 2002 after Wydad Athletic Club beat Ashante Kotoko on away goals rule after a 2 – 2 stalemate over two legs.

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