Algerian side USM Alger secured a controversial and dramatic 1-0 victory over Egyptian giants Zamalek in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final after a dramatic stoppage time penalty decided a tense encounter at the packed July 5 Stadium in Algiers, Trybal News reports.
A crowd of more than 50,000 supporters witnessed a chaotic ending as Ahmed Khaldi converted a decisive penalty in the 98th minute to hand the home side a slender advantage ahead of the return leg in Cairo.
The game had appeared destined to end goalless before the closing moments turned explosive. Zamalek initially believed they had stolen a late winner through substitute Juan Bezerra. The Brazilian forward capitalised on a miskick in midfield from Hocine Dehiri before racing clear on goal and calmly firing a low finish beyond goalkeeper Oussama Benbot.
Wild celebrations immediately erupted among the visiting players and fans, who thought the Egyptian side had taken a huge step towards another continental title. However, the drama was far from over.
VAR officials quickly alerted the Mauritanian referee to an incident that had occurred moments earlier in the build up to the goal. Replays shown on the stadium screens revealed that Zamalek defender Hossam Abdelmaguid had fouled USM substitute Rayane Mahrouz inside the area. The defender was seen striking Mahrouz in the back with his knee before handling the ball.
After reviewing the incident on the pitch side monitor, the referee stunned Zamalek by cancelling Bezerra’s goal and awarding a penalty to the Algerian side instead.
The decision sparked furious protests from the Egyptian players and coaching staff, but Khaldi remained calm under enormous pressure. The midfielder confidently blasted his spot kick high into the roof of the net, leaving goalkeeper Mahdi Soliman with no chance.
Khaldi’s dramatic winner marked his fourth goal of the competition and handed USM Alger a narrow advantage heading into the second leg.
The final whistle arrived after 11 minutes of added time, with frustration and disbelief clearly felt throughout the Zamalek camp. The visitors believed several key decisions had gone against them during the match.
Earlier in the second half, Zamalek had another effort ruled out after Angola born winger Chico Banza was judged to have fouled Cameroon international Che Malone before the ball entered the net. On that occasion, the referee made the decision immediately, preventing any celebrations from the Egyptian side.
Banza had also come close to breaking the deadlock shortly after the restart when he cleverly lobbed the ball over Benbot. However, his effort heading toward goal was brilliantly cleared away by Dehiri before it could cross the line.
Despite Zamalek creating several dangerous moments, USM Alger managed to remain composed defensively and eventually took advantage of the dramatic late twist.
The return leg is scheduled for May 16 at the Cairo International Stadium, where Zamalek will attempt to overturn the deficit in pursuit of a third CAF Confederation Cup title. USM Alger, meanwhile, are aiming to secure only the second continental crown in their history.
A record prize money of $4 million awaits the winners of the competition, while the runners up will receive $2 million in Africa’s equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
