The qualifying stages of the 2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup are complete with sixteen teams confirming their spots in the competition’s group stage following Wednesday’s second leg matches. The major headline involves defending champions RS Berkane after the Moroccan club fell to US Monastir. Objects were hurled onto the pitch by frustrated Orange Boys supporters in the final minutes of the home leg as their team failed to score over both matches against their well organized opponents from Tunisia. Considering the club’s poor league form it appears manager Abdelhak Benchikha will be looking for work elsewhere after only eleven matches in charge.

Morocco’s other representative cruised to an easy victory with Rabat’s ASFAR dominating Djoliba of Mali 4-0 in the second leg to advance by the same score on aggregate. Tanzanian champions Young Africans failed to win their first leg at home but showed resilience in Tunisia against Club Africain, winning 1-0 courtesy of a 79th minute goal from Stephane Aziz Ki to move on.

Egyptian club Future FC has high expectations in the competition and nearly suffered the same fate as Berkane but Egypt national team player Omar Kamal scored a dramatic late equalizer after the hosts conceded the opening goal against Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto. The 2-2 aggregate score meant penalty kicks were needed and Future managed to advance 3-2 in a tense shootout. Another Egyptian club, Pyramids FC, overcame a 1-0 first leg defeat to comfortably ASN Nigelec of Niger 3-0 at home to advance as well.

Congolese heavyweights TP Mazembe are through as well against struggling Royal AM of South Africa, earning a rare road victory in continental competition and advancing 3-0 on aggregate without any worries. South African clubs had mixed fortunes with Cape Town City being eliminated along with Royal AM while Marumo Gallants delivered an excellent performance to move on past Libyan giants Al Ahli Tripoli.

Of note was a historic moment for Togolese football after ASKO Kara managed to hold Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien to a 0-0 draw on the road, advancing by a 2-1 aggregate score to become the first Togolese club to participate in the group stage of the CAFCC since its current format was established in 2004. ASKO, Mali’s Real Bamako, ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast and Nigerian champions Rivers United will represent West Africa in the group stage. Nigeria could have had two clubs in the group stage but Plateau United collapsed in the final thirty minutes to concede three goals and lose on away goals to Libya’s lone representative in the group stage, Al Nasr Benghazi.

All the scores are below followed by highlights from many of Wednesday’s second legs.

Marumo Gallants (S. Africa) 3-0 Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya)

Marumo Gallants win 3-1 on aggregate

CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) 0-0 ASKO Kara (Togo)

ASKO Kara win 2-1 on aggregate

St. Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) 1-0 RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso)

St. Eloi Lupopo win 2-0 on aggregate

Diables Noirs (Congo) 4-2 La Passe (Seychelles)

Diables Noirs win 6-2 on aggregate

Al Akhdar (Libya) 3-0 Plateau United (Nigeria)

Tied 4-4 on aggregate; Al Akhdar advance on away goals

Future FC (Egypt) 1-1 Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)

Tied 2-2 on aggregate; Future FC win 3-2 on penalties

Real Bamako (Mali) 3-1 Royal Leopards (Eswatini)

Real Bamako win 4-2 on aggregate

Sporting Gagnoa (Ivory Coast) 2-3 ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)

ASEC Mimosas win 5-2 on aggregate

Club Africain (Tunisia) 0-1 Young Africans (Tanzania)

Young Africans win 1-0 on aggregate

Pyramids FC (Egypt) 3-0 ASN Nigelec (Niger)

Pyramids FC win 3-1 on aggregate

Royal AM (S. Africa) 0-1 TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

TP Mazembe win 3-0 on aggregate

USM Alger (Algeria) 1-0 Cape Town City (S. Africa)

USM Alger win 1-0 on aggregate

DCMP (DR Congo) 2-1 Flambeau du Centre (Burundi)

DCMP win 4-1 on aggregate

RS Berkane (Morocco) 0-0 US Monastir (Tunisia)

US Monastir win 1-0 on aggregate

ASFAR (Morocco) 4-0 Djoliba AC (Mali)

ASFAR win 4-0 on aggregate

Al Nasr (Libya) 1-1 Rivers United (Nigeria)

Rivers United win 5-1 on aggregate

Club Africain 0-1 Young Africans (Goal from Stephane Aziz Ki)

Club Africain 0-1 Young Africans (Extended Highlights)

RS Berkane 0-0 US Monastir

Future FC 1-1 Primeiro de Agosto (Match Highlights)

Future FC 1-1 Primeiro de Agosto (Penalty Kick Shootout)

ASFAR 4-0 Djoliba AC

USM Alger 1-0 Cape Town City

Al Akhdar 3-0 Plateau United

Marumo Gallants 3-0 Al Ahli Tripoli

St. Eloi Lupopo 1-0 RC Kadiogo