RS Berkane clinch third CAF Confederation Cup title

• RS Berkane were crowned the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup champions after defeating Tanzania’s Simba SC 3-1 on aggregate on Sunday, May 25.
• The Moroccan side entered the second leg with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg and held Simba to a 1-1 draw in Zanzibar.
• This marks their third CAF Confederation Cup title, adding to their previous triumphs in 2020 and 2022.

RS Berkane clinched the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup title, overturning a 1-1 draw against Simba SC in Zanzibar to secure victory on aggregate following a nerve-shredding final clash on Sunday, May 25.

The Moroccan outfit, armed with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, exhibited remarkable resilience and composure under intense pressure to clinch their third Confederation Cup crown, adding to their previous triumphs in 2020 and 2022.

Roared on by a capacity crowd at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Simba SC struck early to rekindle hopes of a dramatic comeback.

Joshua Mutale broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with a composed finish following a deft assist from Elie Mpanzu, handing Simba a 1-0 lead.

The home side continued to press relentlessly, with Steven Mukwala and Shomari Kapombe posing constant threats to the RS Berkane defense.

Nonetheless, the Moroccan defense stood firm, with goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi and his backline repelling wave after wave of Simba attacks.

Simba’s momentum was abruptly halted in the 73^rd minute when VAR intervention ruled out Mukwala’s goal for offside – a decisive moment that preserved RS Berkane’s aggregate advantage and shifted the tide.

The tension escalated further when Simba’s Yusuph Kagoma was dismissed in the 50th minute after receiving a second yellow card, reducing the hosts to ten men and tilting the balance in Berkane’s favor.

Desperate to find a second goal, Simba pressed forward, but it was RS Berkane who delivered the final blow.

Soumaila Sidibe emerged as the match-winner, netting a vital equaliser with a precise right-footed strike from a narrow angle – a goal that stunned the home crowd and sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory.

That strike effectively extinguished Simba’s hopes, as Berkane’s advantage became insurmountable.

The draw ensured the Moroccan side’s third CAF Confederation Cup title, reinforcing their reputation as a continental force.

Simba’s defeat means Gor Mahia of Kenya remain the only East African side to have ever claimed a CAF title, having lifted the now-defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup 37 years ago in 1987.

FULL LIST: CAF Confederation Cup winners (2004–2025)

1. 2004: Hearts of Oak (Ghana)
2. 2005: FAR Rabat (Morocco)
3. 2006: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
4. 2007: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
5. 2008: Etoile Sahel (Tunisia)
6. 2009: Stade Malien (Mali)
7. 2010: FUS Rabat (Morocco)
8. 2011: Maghreb Fes (Morocco)
9. 2012: AC Leopards (Congo-Brazzaville)
10. 2013: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
11. 2014: Al Ahly (Egypt)
12. 2015: Etoile Sahel (Tunisia)
13. 2016: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
14. 2017: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
15. 2018: Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
16. 2019: Zamalek (Egypt)
17. 2020: Renaissance Berkane (Morocco)
18. 2021: Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
19. 2022: Renaissance Berkane (Morocco)
20. 2023: USM Alger (Algeria)
21. 2024: Zamalek (Egypt)
22. 2025: Renaissance Berkane (Morocco)