Moghreb strike another blow for underdogs with African Super Cup win

THERE was another shock outcome to a CAF competition when Moroccan club Moghreb Fes lifted the African Super Cup this weekend.

CAF Confederation Cup title holders Moghreb defeated CAF Champions League title holders Esperance 4-3 on penalties in Tunisia after the home team had snatched a 1-1 draw deep in stoppage time.

Only twice in 19 previous one-off matches between the winners of the annual CAF club competitions have the Champions League holders failed to raise the trophy and collect the winners' cheque.

The reasons for this include the Champions League being much tougher to win as it attracts the best clubs on the continent, and the winners of the premier competition having enjoyed home advantage in the Super Cup for the past 16 years.

Victory for Moghreb continued a trend of CAF shocks with long shots Zambia edging heavily favoured Ivory Coast on penalties in Libreville two weeks ago to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

And a Gabon side considered the weakest of the eight contesting the first CAF Under-23 championship in Morocco last December came out on top by defeating the hosts in the final.

Esperance had one penalty saved and blazed another over in the shootout while Moghreb converted four of five with the other saved at the 60000-seat November 7 national stadium in Tunis suburb Rades. Hamza Abourazzouk put the Moroccans ahead after 20 minutes by latching on to a low Hamza Hajji cross, bursting into the penalty area and scoring with a shot that went in off the far post.

Combative Esperance midfielder Mejdi Traoui was red-carded in the second half after two bookings and his 10 teammates salvaged a draw 10 minutes into stoppage time through defender Khalil Chammam.