RS Berkane shock TP Mazembe with 11-minute flurry to reach CAF Confederations Cup final

TP Mazembe came into the return leg needing to avoid defeat to progress to the showpiece match of the tournament against a determined Berkane side.

The home side went ahead as early as the 10th minute, Bakr El Helali converting Berkane’s early pressure into a goal.

TP Mazembe struck back immediately with Phillipes Kinzumbi equalising for the visitors just one minute after they fell behind to put the match in a balance and Mazembe 2-1 up on aggregate.

Mazembe repelled attack after attack from their Moroccan hosts till Tandi Mwape got a second yellow card in the 64th minute to condemn his team to playing the final 25 minutes or thereabouts with one man short.

The visitors were 11 minutes away from escaping with an impressive draw when Najji Larbi pulled one back for Berkane in the 79th minute.

Mazembe needed to have just avoided conceding again and progress on the away goals rule but the Congolese conceded a penalty to Issoufou Dayo which Youssef Alfahli converted in the 88th minute.

Alfahli grabbed his brace and completed the rout with another goal in the sixth minute of added time to send Berkane through 4-2 on aggregate.

Berkane are chasing their second CAF Confederations Cup title in three years after being crowned champions in 2020.

Before that, the Moroccan side were runners up to Zamalek at the 2019 edition, losing agonisingly on penalties (5-3) in front of their home fans at the Stade Municipal de Berkane.