There was so much late night drama in the first leg final of the African Confederation Cup between Egypt’s Zamalek and USM Alger of Algeria that it looked like two different games.
The sequence of rapid-fire, see-saw events on Saturday 9 May at the July 5 Stadium in Algiers turned the entire encounter on its head: Zamalek striker Juan Bezerra appearing to have put Zamalek ahead in the 90th minute; the Cairo club celebrates what they believe to be the match winner; the goal is ruled out because of a prior foul in the box by Zamalek defender Hossam Abdel-Meguid; Zamalek’s Mahmoud Bentayg is flashed the red card for dissent; there are lengthy, heated protests from Zamalek; and Alger’s winning goal is scored from the spot by Ahmed Khaldi in minute 98.
In one fell swoop, what could have been Zamalek winning 1-0 turned to Alger victorious by the same score.
On Saturday 16 May in Cairo International Stadium, Zamalek will readily accept a less hectic few moments if it will render an outright victory for their third title in the Confederation Cup, the second biggest continental football club tournament following the Champions League.
To get their hands on that brass ring, however, Zamalek must overturn the 1-0 deficit they incurred in a game in which they had several good scoring opportunities that could have averted those last few anxious minutes.
Amid fan-led pyrotechnics and flares that produced thick smoke which wafted through the stands, in only the fourth minute Alger defender Hocine Dehiri lifted the ball over the head of Zamalek defender Mahmoud Hamdi but his left-footed effort went wide.
Just a minute later it was Zamalek’s turn when Chico Banza met a low cross from Oday Al-Dabbagh, only to see his effort comfortably saved.
The second half had hardly started when Banza flew down the left side, turning one defender inside out before his left-footed effort went wide.
Alger’s Dramane Kamagate was close with a header in the 50th minute.
The Angola-born Banza again had a chance to break the deadlock early in the second half when he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Oussama Benbot but could not get full power behind his shot which was cleared on the line by Dehiri.
At the hour mark, Zamalek goalkeeper Al-Mahdi Suleiman made a double save from point-blank headers headed his way.
In the 66th Banza squared to Dabbagh who scored from close range but in the process Banza had fouled USM defender and Cameroon international Che Malone.
One big Alger chance came towards the end of regulation time as a skirmish in Zamalek’s end was blocked by Suleiman.
Genuine action came in the 90th minute when a high innocuous ball in the Zamalek area was headed by Abdel-Meguid who jumped awkwardly, kneed a USM player in the back and, to boot, handled the ball with both hands as it was coming down.
That transaction was initially left to pass by the referee. Thereafter, a long ball downfield was miskicked by Dehiri and found the Brazilian Bezerra who from midfield and with an Alger guard of honour running after him, eluded one defender before netting what looked like the Zamalek winner.
But Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida overturned the goal and poured cold water on Bezerra’s celebrations, taking a long look at VAR and giving the Abdel-Meguid shove/handball a penalty, and red carding a dissenting Bentayg who will miss the final. Khaldi slammed the ball high to the right of goal for his fourth goal of the tournament, leaving 50,000 fans ecstatic.
In the return match of this second-tier African competition - the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League - USM Alger will be seeking their second Confederation Cup and a record first prize of $4 million, double last year’s, with the runners-up receiving $2 million, marking a 100 per cent increase in prize money for both finalists.
Following the game, USM Alger coach Lamine N’Diaye said his side were now one step away from lifting the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title.
“The most important thing when playing finals is to win, whatever the performance. We must work to correct some technical aspects,” N’Diaye said during the post-match press conference.
The Senegalese coach warned that the continental title had not yet been decided, despite beating a team with a considerable history in African competitions.
“We achieved an important victory against a big team with continental experience, but the title has not been decided yet,” he added.
N’Diaye said USM Alger will go into the second leg with “great determination” to protect their advantage and return from Egypt with the trophy.
“We are one match away from winning the title, and we will fight to return from Egypt with the cup,” he said.
Zamalek coach Moatamed Gamal insisted the tie was far from over and said his team will fight in the return leg in Cairo to turn the situation around and claim the continental crown.
Speaking after the match, Gamal said his team still had every chance of winning the title despite the away defeat, adding that the return fixture will be a different contest.
“There is a first half that has ended in Algeria, and there is still another half in Cairo. We have strong motivation to make up for this and win the title. We had hoped at least to come away with a goalless draw,” Gamal said at the post-match press conference.
“We will fight until the last minute to win and claim the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title,” he added.
Gamal was critical of the referee, including Bentayg’s dismissal, and the added stoppage time.
“We should not lose, but this is football,” Gamal said. “I don’t know why Bentayg was shown the red card. If we were not on the alert, we could have received another goal. And also, I do not know why the referee added eight minutes of stoppage time.”
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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