Power Dynamos kept their CAF Champions League hopes alive with a disciplined and deserved 2-0 victory over Moroccan giants Renaissance Berkane in Matchday 5, combining high-intensity pressing with clinical defending in Kitwe.
The Zambian champions were the more proactive side throughout, edging possession, creating the clearer chances and showing greater aggression in the duels, while Berkane struggled to turn territory into meaningful pressure in the final third.
## Power Dynamos on top in key moments
With the group stage finely balanced before kick-off, this was effectively a must‑win game for Power Dynamos, and they played with the urgency of a team fully aware of the stakes.
They controlled more of the ball, finishing with **57% possession** to Berkane’s **43%**, and translated that into sustained pressure rather than sterile dominance. Power Dynamos registered **13 shots**, with **2 on target**, and it was **Ronel Manyanga** who proved the most active and ambitious in front of goal, constantly testing Berkane’s back line with his movement and attempts from range and in crowded areas.
At the other end, Renaissance Berkane were limited to **4 shots**, only **1** of which was on target. Their liveliest outlet was **Ayoub Khairi**, who not only produced their best effort on goal but also tried to stitch play together in midfield when they did manage to break Power Dynamos’ press.
## Midfield battle and passing quality
In the middle of the pitch, Power Dynamos’ structure and passing assuredness formed the platform for their win.
Centre-back **Dominic Chanda** was central to that control, stepping out of defence to build attacks and circulate possession. He completed **48 passes** at a **79%** accuracy rate, comfortably one of the game’s metronomes from deep. In front of him, **Daniel Adoko** provided the creative edge, finishing with **3 key passes**, the highest in the match, repeatedly finding pockets of space and threading balls into the channels.
For Berkane, **Ayoub Khairi** again stood out in this area. He completed **27 passes** at **70%** accuracy and supplied **1 key pass**, trying to inject tempo into a side often forced to play on the counter. But with Power Dynamos compressing space between the lines, Khairi was too often isolated or forced to receive with his back to goal, limiting his ability to dictate.
## Defensive discipline decides the contest
While the hosts’ attacking intent caught the eye, it was their defensive concentration and structure that ultimately underpinned the result and the clean sheet.
Power Dynamos produced **7 interceptions**, with **Dominic Chanda** again leading the way with **2**, reading the game superbly, breaking up counter-attacks early and ensuring Berkane’s forward line rarely received the ball in dangerous positions. Their back four held a consistent line and showed composure when Berkane tried to play through the thirds.
In terms of blocking efforts, the Zambian champions registered **2 blocks**, with **Samuel Ayodeji Bamidele** responsible for **1** of them, throwing himself in front of shots as Berkane attempted to salvage something late on.
Renaissance Berkane, for their part, were not passive defensively. They actually finished with **8 interceptions**, marginally more than their hosts, with **Ismaël Kandouss** the standout, contributing **3 interceptions** as he tried to marshal the back line under sustained pressure. They also recorded **2 blocks**, including **1** from **Hamza El Moussaoui**, who worked hard down the flank to deal with overlapping runs and cut-backs.
However, while Berkane’s defenders were busy and often effective in last-ditch actions, they were frequently reacting rather than dictating – a contrast to Power Dynamos’ more proactive defensive shape.
## Duels tell the story of intensity
Perhaps the clearest statistical reflection of Power Dynamos’ greater aggression and intent came in the battle for 50–50 balls and direct contests.
For the hosts, **Owen Tembo** set the tone, engaging in **8 face-to-face duels** for the ball. His willingness to contest everything – aerial balls, loose passes and challenges in midfield – typified Power Dynamos’ approach: front-foot, relentless and unwilling to allow Berkane any rhythm.
On the Moroccan side, **Mamadou Lamine Camara** led their response with **10 face-to-face duels**, the highest individual tally in the match. He battled tirelessly to win second balls and stem Power Dynamos’ momentum, but with the visitors defending deeper and chasing the game, many of his duels came in their own half rather than high up the pitch where they might have turned into quick attacking transitions.
The pattern of those confrontations underlined the broader narrative – Power Dynamos contesting and winning key battles in advanced areas, Berkane forced to fight for survival closer to their own goal.
## Clinical where it mattered
Although the raw shot numbers show Power Dynamos hitting the target only twice from 13 attempts, the timing and context of those efforts were decisive, producing the two goals that settled the contest.
Manyanga’s persistence was instrumental in stretching Berkane’s defence, repeatedly pulling markers out of shape and allowing team-mates to exploit gaps. Adoko’s creativity and Chanda’s progressive passing ensured that the hosts were constantly able to recycle possession and fashion new openings, wearing down a Berkane side that spent long spells chasing shadows.
By contrast, Berkane’s **single shot on target** never truly threatened to turn the game. Khairi’s best effort was well handled, and beyond that the visitors struggled to generate clear sights of goal, a testament to Power Dynamos’ compactness and anticipation in and around their own box.
## Implications for the CAF Champions League group
The 2-0 victory gives Power Dynamos a vital boost in **CAF Champions League Group Stage Match Round 5**, significantly enhancing their chances of progressing to the knockout rounds. They not only took three points from a direct rival but also claimed an important head-to-head advantage with a clean sheet.
Renaissance Berkane, meanwhile, face an uphill task. Defeat here leaves them with work to do in their final group fixture and raises questions about their attacking balance away from home, where they have struggled to impose their usual possession-based style.
## Summary
Power Dynamos combined control of possession, superior chance creation and robust defensive organisation to earn a fully merited 2-0 win over Renaissance Berkane. With **57% possession**, **13 shots**, and standout displays from **Ronel Manyanga**, **Dominic Chanda**, **Daniel Adoko** and **Owen Tembo**, the Zambian side delivered a performance that was as disciplined without the ball as it was ambitious with it.
Berkane’s efforts – particularly from **Ayoub Khairi**, **Ismaël Kandouss** and **Mamadou Lamine Camara** – were not enough to overcome a side that won the key duels, controlled territory and made their moments count in front of goal.
- Power Dynamos will play with Pyramids FC. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on 30 June Stadium.
- Renaissance Berkane will play with Rivers United. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on Stade Municipal de Berkane.
Power Dynamos
- Willard Mwanza (7)
- Kondwani Chiboni (7.3)
- Samuel Ayodeji Bamidele (6.9)
- Dominic Chanda (7.3)
- John Soko (6.6)
- Daniel Adoko (7.3)
- Owen Tembo (7.2)
- F. Mulambia (6.9)
- Prince Mumba (6.6)
- M. Shumah (5.9)
- Ronel Manyanga (6.9)
Renaissance Berkane
Substitutions:
Power Dynamos
- R. Manyanga (C. Mphasi, 64)
- Daniel Adoko (Linos Makwaza, 74)
- F. Mulambia (A. Katebe, 88)
- M. Shumah (Ismaël Ankobo, 88)
Renaissance Berkane
- Abdelhak Assal (Oussama Haddadi, 46)
- Imad Riahi (Oussama Lamlaoui, 56)
- Zinédine Machach (Mounir Chouiar, 56)
- Paul Valère Bassène (Y. El Kaabi, 84)
- Ayoub Khairi (Rayane Aabid, 84)
Ball possession:
Passes:
Defense:
Face-to-face:
Fouls:
- Owen Tembo (Power Dynamos) at 44 minute
- R. Manyanga (Power Dynamos) at 49 minute
- Kondwani Chiboni (Power Dynamos) at 78 minute
- Paul Valère Bassène (Renaissance Berkane) at 19 minute
- Youssef Mehri (Renaissance Berkane) at 27 minute
- Haytam Manaout (Renaissance Berkane) at 70 minute
- Hamza El Moussaoui (Renaissance Berkane) at 79 minute
Yellow cards:
The last five games (including this match):
- Power Dynamos – L
- Renaissance Berkane – W
Top 5 CAF Champions League scorers:
- Ahmed Atef El Sayed (4, Pyramids FC)
- Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan (3, Al Ahly)
- Nuno Miguel Valente Santos (2, Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Aboubacar Diakite (2, ES Tunis)
- Abdelrazig Yagoub Omer Taha (2, Al Hilal Omdurman)
Line-ups:
Next games:
- Power Dynamos will play with Pyramids FC. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on 30 June Stadium.
- Renaissance Berkane will play with Rivers United. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on Stade Municipal de Berkane.
