JS Kabylie’s CAF Champions League campaign was left hanging by a thread after a narrow 1-0 defeat to AS FAR in Rabat, a result that pushed the Algerian side closer to elimination from Group B.
The Yellow and Greens were beaten on Saturday evening on Matchday Four, conceding late after a goalless first half despite creating several clear chances and showing long spells of promise.
With only two points from four matches, JSK now sit bottom of the group and face a daunting task to keep their continental hopes alive.
The outcome was a bitter disappointment for the visitors, who will rue their inability to make the most of their opportunities.
Before the decisive goal, JS Kabylie had fashioned some of the best chances of the match but failed to find the breakthrough their performance deserved.
Hamidi came closest in the first half, firing two efforts narrowly wide as AS FAR struggled to contain the pressure.
Early in the second half, Messaoudi was denied by goalkeeper Tagnaouti, who reacted sharply to keep his side level.
At the other end, JSK goalkeeper Gaya Merbah was also called into action, producing no fewer than three important saves to keep his team in contention.
As the game wore on, both sides searched for a moment of quality to settle the contest.
JS Kabylie head coach Josef Zinnebauer attempted to change the course of the match by introducing his two new attacking signings, Ecua and Jaredi, shortly after the hour mark, hoping fresh legs would bring greater cutting edge in the final third.
However, it was AS FAR who eventually found the decisive opening.
In the 74th minute, Angolan left-back To Carneiro burst down the wing, delivering a move that ended with Hamza Khaba applying the finishing touch to score the only goal of the match.
The strike proved enough to secure all three points for the Moroccan side.
Earlier in the day, the group’s other fixture saw Young Africans of Tanzania held to a 1-1 draw at home by Egypt’s Al Ahly SC.
That result ensured the Egyptians remained clear at the top of Group B with eight points.
Young Africans and AS FAR now sit joint second on five points apiece, strengthening their positions as the group heads into its final stages.
For JS Kabylie, rooted to the bottom with just two points, the defeat in Rabat leaves little margin for error and underlines how costly missed chances can be at this level of the competition.
