CAF Confederation Cup: Late strike seals victory for CS Constantine over CS Sfaxien

In a dramatic opener to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage, Algeria’s CS Constantine secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades.

The Group A match began with CS Sfaxien dominating possession, searching for an early breakthrough. However, CS Constantine’s disciplined defense successfully neutralized the home side’s attacking efforts, keeping the game tightly contested in the midfield.

Despite Sfaxien’s territorial advantage, they failed to create significant scoring opportunities, and the first half concluded in a goalless stalemate.

The second half unfolded much like the first, with Sfaxien controlling the game but struggling to break through Constantine’s well-organized backline. As the match wore on, the visitors grew more confident, using counterattacks to test the Tunisian defense.

The breakthrough came in the dying moments of the game. From a swift counterattack, Ibrahim Dib capitalised on a defensive lapse to score the decisive goal for CS Constantine, leaving the home crowd stunned.

The victory marks a strong start for CS Constantine in the group stage, while CS Sfaxien will need to regroup quickly as the competition progresses.