Izuchukwu Okosi
RC Berkane on Saturday evening created a beautiful piece of history as they defeated fellow Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca 2-0 in CAF Super Cup match in Rabat.
Both Moroccan giants could Nigerian opposition, Rivers United and Kwara United in the next CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup qualifying stages.
Charki el Bahri scored the first goal for the CAF Confederation Cup title-holders with 32 minutes played and Sofian el Moudane converted a 71st-minute penalty to double the lead.
CAF Champions League winners Wydad who shocked favorites Al Ahly in the final of the continent’s top club football competition were guilty of prolfigacy in front of the opposition half with many chances wasted.
Wydad have featured in the Super Cup four times and this was their third defeat while Berkane succeeded at the second attempt after losing on their debut.
Berkane are the 16th side to win a competition that has been dominated by Egyptian club Al Ahly with eight victories from 10 appearances.
Renaissance, based in the northeastern citrus growing region of Morocco, appeared hungrier for success from the kick-off and took a deserved lead.
A perfectly placed cross from Hamza el Moussaoui found El Bahri unmarked, and his glancing header flew across goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti and landed in the far corner of the net.
El Moudane struck his penalty into the middle of the goal as Tagnaouti dived to his right after the spot kick was awarded for a foul on Congolese Chadrack Lukombe by Amine Aboulfath.
The referee later overruled decisions to award both Wydad and Berkane penalties after reviewing the incidents at a touchline VAR monitor.
Both clubs begin their title defences in October — Wydad against Rivers United of Nigeria or Watanga of Liberia and Berkane against Kwara United of Nigeria or AS Douanes of Niger.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
