CAF Champions League: RS Berkane and Esperance reach group stage as AFAD Plateau exit

RS Berkane have secured a second successive historic qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage, while Esperance de Tunis completed a dramatic comeback against Swehly to reach the competition’s main phase.

The Moroccan side overcame Sierra Leone’s Star Sport Academy 3-0 on aggregate in the second and final preliminary round. Having won the first leg 2-0 in Monrovia through an Oussama Lamlioui double, RS Berkane completed the job with a 1-0 victory at the municipal stadium in Berkane on Saturday.

Youssef Mehri scored the only goal of the return match, finding the net in the 53rd minute to confirm the club’s place among the group-stage teams for a second consecutive year.

Earlier, Esperance de Tunis overturned a first-leg deficit against the Libyan club Swehly at the Olympic Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades.

The Tunisian side had lost 1-0 in Libya and were without the suspended Youcef Belaili. Imad Faraj levelled the tie on aggregate with an early goal in the eighth minute, before Esperance secured qualification by winning the penalty shootout 3-1.

The result also saw the Tunisian club set a new record. Esperance have now qualified for the final phase of the competition 24 times, more than any other side.

AFAD Plateau eliminated by CS Sfaxien

AFAD Plateau’s hopes of reaching the CAF Confederation Cup ended with a 1-0 defeat by CS Sfaxien at the Taieb Mhiri Stadium in Sfax.

The Ivorian club had earned a 1-1 draw at home in Abidjan in the first leg, but Iyed Belwafi struck in the seventh minute to give CS Sfaxien the advantage in the return match.

That goal proved decisive, eliminating AFAD Plateau at the final qualifying hurdle and leaving Cote d’Ivoire without its first club in the CAF Confederation Cup.