[Sports] Will the Algerian Union of the Capital succeed in ending the dominance of Moroccan clubs in the African Confederation Cup?

[Guest High King Eslam]

On Sunday, the Algerian Union of the Capital achieved an important victory at the expense of its guest, the Royal Moroccan Army, as it beat it with two clean goals in the first leg of the Confederation of African Football competition. The Algerian team awaits a very “difficult” task in the Kingdom’s capital on April 30 in the return match, during which the Moroccan team will seek to consolidate the dominance of its country’s clubs in this competition. In the remaining matches, Pyramids avoided losing against its South African guest, Marumo Galants, while Tunisian Monastiri stumbled at home against ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast.

On Sunday, the Algerian Union of the Capital succeeded in scoring an important victory in the first leg of the African Confederation Cup quarter-finals at the expense of the Royal Moroccan Army, the representative of the capital of the Kingdom, along with Al-Fateh Al-Riyadi, after its victory in Algiers with two clean goals.

With this result, the Algerian team has strengthened its chances of qualifying for the Golden Square, as it will face its Moroccan counterpart in the return match on April 30th. The task of USMA will be very “difficult”, according to statements made by its coach Abdelhak Benchikha, which was reported by Algerian media.

The course of the meeting

The Union of the Capital received the Royal Army on the grounds of the “5 July” stadium, while the start of the match was in favor of the latter, who pressed in the first minutes of the meeting, trying to surprise the goalkeeper of the Algerian team through Hamza Ekman, whose shot was sideways, and the Union of the Capital player, Ayman Mahyous, responded with a shot next to the right post. .

But the pressure of the Royal Army did not last long, and the USM returned to control the course of the match gradually, while the military team retreated to the back. The quick counterattacks were the host team's strength, one of which was dangerous, especially when Ahmed Hammoudan hit with force, which was sent to a corner by Algerian goalkeeper Osama Benbout.

In the 29th minute of the interview, Botswana Tomisanf Oriboni singled out goalkeeper Ayoub Al-Akrad, but he failed to overtake him. Before the last moments of the end of the first half, Ibrahim Bin Zaza kicked a corner kick and crossed it in front of the army goal, so Zakaria Fati made a mistake in banishing it, and it reached Saadi Al-Radwani, who put it in the net in the 44th minute.

The second half of the match witnessed a different scenario, as the Royal Army again began to press, and fiercely attacked the goal of goalkeeper Ben Bout, who blocked Reda Selim’s shot with his fists from a direct free kick in the 56th minute. The Union of the Capital will be able to add the second goal in the 63rd minute, when Zinedine cornered Belaid headed the ball into the net for Kurd after a corner, which was executed by Ibrahim Benzaza.

In an attempt to adjust the balance, the Royal Army pressed hard, but the cohesion of the Algerian defense prevented it from reaching the goal, and the players of French coach Fernando da Cruz failed to reduce the goal difference, so the match ended with the team's victory over its Moroccan counterpart, with two goals to none.

The match referee expelled striker Reda Selim, one of the prominent players in the army, after he violently interfered with the player Mahyous during stoppage time. 

Will the federation succeed in ending the dominance of Moroccan clubs?

In the event that the Union of the Capital qualified, the “sons” of Ben Sheikha would have been able to put an end to Moroccan domination of this competition, while the Rabat team is trying to remedy the situation and progress towards achieving the fourth successive title for Moroccan clubs in the African Confederation Cup, and the second in its history after 2005.

In a statement to him, the star of the Algerian team, Saadi Al-Radwani, said that his team cut “half of the visa” to the Golden Square, adding, “The match was not easy, and this matter will apply to the second leg. Today we were forced to present a strong performance against an ancient team, and our discipline and focus contributed to the exit.” with a positive result.”

Al-Radwani expressed his caution about the return match and the Moroccan team's ability to respond strongly, saying, "Certainly, we snatched a valuable victory in a match that was not easy at all. We are well aware that we have not decided on qualification yet. A burning return awaits us, and we are required to manage it well."

The Algerian Al-Ittihad player concluded: “The return match will not be easy. The army will take out all its weapons to overcome the failure of the first leg. We will start preparing from tomorrow, and we will re-follow our match to find out all the positives and negatives and correct all mistakes.”

In turn, coach Benchikha expressed the difficulty of the task awaiting his team in the Moroccan capital on April 30: "The return match in Morocco will be very difficult, and we will prepare for it according to the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, and we will work to prepare the squad well so that it is fully prepared."

The leader of the Moroccan league is going through a difficult stage, after successive negative results in the recent period. However, this does not detract from the value of this ancient team, which has an important balance of titles, whether Moroccan or African, and can turn the result in the return match and snatch the Golden Square visa.

Will the army continue its adventures in the competition to consolidate the kingdom's clubs' dominance over the African Confederation Cup titles? Or will the Union of the Capital end its hopes and put an end to this Moroccan continental brilliance? The answer will be known on April 30.

Pyramids avoid losing, and Monastir falters

In the second match, the Egyptian Pyramids avoided losing after snatching a draw in the final minutes with its South African guest Marumo Gallants 1-1 at the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo.

As for the Tunisian Monastir Federation, it failed to exploit the factors of the land and the public, as it fell into the trap of a goalless draw with its guest ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast at Hammadi Al-Aqrabi Stadium in Rades.

Young Africans of Tanzania also put a foot in the golden square after beating its Nigerian host Rivers United with two clean goals, scored by Veston Makalalili (73 and 80), raising his tally to five goals at the top of the competition’s scorer list (80).                           https://www.i3lam-al3arab.com/هل-ينجح-اتحاد-العاصمة-الجزائري-في-إنها/