President Sisi congratulates Zamalek after winning Confed Cup
Gomes becomes 1st Portuguese coach to grab CAF Confed title
CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah El Sisi congratulated Zamalek club on winning the CAF Confederation Cup for the second time.
“I extend congratulations to the Zamalek Team on its great win as well as its outstanding performance and efforts that are worthy of all appreciation.
Zamalek is the champions of African club football’s secondary competition after a dramatic 1-0 win over RS Berkane in the second-leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final secured them the trophy on aggregate Sunday night.
“I also congratulate the fans of Zamalek and all Egyptians, wishing for more success and achievements in the future. I also extend salutation to the Morrocan team for the honorable performance.
It was a historic triumph for Zamalek boss Jose Gomes, who became the first Portuguese coach to win the CAF Confederation Cup.
Gomes praised his side’s supreme focus as the key factor behind their dramatic final success over the Moroccan club to clinch their second tile of the competition.
“The team started very strongly, and we could have scored more goals in the first half,” said the Portuguese tactician.
“African football deserves recognition for the quality of this final, and we won because we stayed focused,” he added according to cafonline.com.
Gomes also reserved special praise for the impact of Zamalek’s vociferous home support at the Cairo International Stadium.
“The fans were unbelievably fantastic,” he beamed. “They drove the players on and were our extra man.”
Gomes is now setting his sights on more continental success by targeting the 2023 CAF Super Cup against either Al-Ahly or Esperance.
“I would prefer to win the CAF Super Cup, regardless of the opponent we face in the final,” he stated bullishly.
Gomes also stressed his desire to remain at Zamalek long-term as they target building on this latest piece of silverware.
“I am happy to be Zamalek’s coach. I am under contract with the club and am now focused on preparing the team for our next Egyptian Premier League match against Modern Future.”
Ahmed Hamdy scored midway through the first-half to give Zamalek a 1-0 victory over Berkane of Morocco and a second CAF Confederation Cup title.
The previous Zamalek triumph in the second-tier competition also came against Berkane with the Egyptians winning on penalties in 2019 after an other aggregate draw.
Gomes took over Zamalek in January, aiming to build on his previous achievement of winning just one trophy – the 2016 Saudi Super Cup – during his tenure with 16 clubs across Europe and the Middle East.
Compatriot Manuel Jose won the CAF Champions League a record four times as coach of Al-Ahly, the Cairo neighbours and fierce rivals of Zamalek, between 2001 and 2008.
Success has eluded Portuguese coaches in the Confederation Cup, however, since it was launched in 2004 after the African Cup Winners Cup and CAF Cup were discontinued.
The 52-year-old tactician underlined the importance of the team’s mental preparedness and their capability to defeat a strong opponent.
Egypt can complete a double in the African club competitions on Saturday when Zamalek’s arch domestic rivals Al-Ahly will host Esperance of Tunisia in the Champions League final second-leg next week. The first leg in Tunis Saturday ended goalless.
Zamalek made one change to the team that started the first leg in Morocco last Sunday with Senegalese Ibrahima Ndiaye replacing Nigeria-born fellow winger Samson Akinyoola.
Berkane were unchanged with Burkina Faso centre-back Issoufou Dayo captaining the team and Senegalese Paul Bassene leading the attack.
A sell-out crowd in the 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium cheered, chanted and waved large flags as Zamalek attacked relentlessly in the early stages.
It seemed a matter of time before Berkane conceded, and Zamalek took the lead on 23 minutes through Hamdy, a midfielder who joined the White Knights four months ago, AFP reported.
An attempted clearance by Berkane was blocked and Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed pushed the ball to unmarked Hamdy, who rifled a low shot wide of goalkeeper Hamza Hamiani into the corner of the net.
Level on aggregate but behind on away goals, Berkane came out of their defensive shell and Dayo almost levelled soon after with a far-post header after a free kick.
Paul Bassene had his first sight of goal on 32 minutes, but blazed over, then Yassine Labhiri was much closer to equalising with a shot from just outside the area.
Zamalek finished the opening half strongly and Berkane had to defend desperately with defenders blocking several goal attempts after Hamiani failed to grasp a cross.
The Berkane goalkeeper nearly gifted Zamalek a second goal just past the hour mark as he initially hesitated to clear the ball and came close to being dispossessed by Seifeddine Jaziri.
Berkane threatened with 14 minutes remaining when awarded a free kick close to the area, but a poor attempt by Ayoub Khairi sailed over.
The Moroccans were reduced to 10 men two minutes into added time when Hamza el-Moussaoui was red-carded for stamping on Zizo after fouling the winger.
CAF Confed Cup winners: From inception to present
The CAF Confederation Cup, established in 2004, is Africa’s secondary club football competition, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This tournament brings together top clubs from across the continent, providing them with a platform to compete for continental glory.
The CAF Confederation Cup serves as a testament to the depth and diversity of African club football, showcasing emerging talents and lesser-known footballing powerhouses.
Since its inception, the CAF Confederation Cup has become an essential part of African football, complementing the more prestigious CAF Champions League.
The competition has seen a variety of winners, from North African giants like Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien to clubs from other regions, including Mali’s Stade Malien and Morocco’s Berkane.
These clubs have demonstrated exceptional skill, determination, and strategic prowess, contributing to the rich tapestry of African football.
This detailed list of past winners of the CAF Confederation Cup celebrates the triumphs of clubs that have risen to the challenge and claimed the coveted title.
By chronicling the champions from each season, we acknowledge their significant achievements and the exciting narratives they have created.
Cafonline explore the history of the Confederation Cup and discover the clubs that have made their mark in this esteemed competition.
2014 Al-Ahly – Egypt
2017 TP Mazembe – DR Congo
2019 Zamalek – Egypt
2021 Raja Casablanca – Morocco
2022 RS Berkane – Morocco
2023 USM Alger – Algeria
2024 Zamalek – Egypt
Berkane coach rues missed chances
RS Berkane head coach Moine Chaabani lamented his side’s failure to take their chances as they fell agonizingly short of a third CAF Confederation Cup triumph in four years.
It denied Berkane the chance to etch their names into the history books, having won the competition in 2020 and 2022.
Despite creating opportunities to get back into the tie, Chaabani’s men were ultimately undone by a combination of poor finishing and resolute Zamalek defending.
“Congratulations to the players for their efforts throughout the competition. Zamalek’s defense was formidable, and our team failed to capitalize on the chances we had,” rued the Tunisian coach.
“This could be due to our players’ lack of focus or the solid defensive preparations of Zamalek, who played particularly well in defence,” he added.
Chaabani was also critical of his side’s slow start which allowed the home side to seize the initiative early on.
“Additionally, we lost 20 to 25 minutes of the first half,” he admitted ruefully.
However, the 48-year-old was keen to look to the future and backed his players to bounce back stronger after this bitter disappointment.
“Thank you to all the players for their efforts. We will return stronger in the future,” vowed Chaabani.
“Congratulations to Zamalek, and good luck to RS Berkane.”
It marks the end of a historic era for Berkane who had hopes of cementing their status as one of Africa’s elite club sides with a third continental crown in just four years.
