African Confederation Cup (CAF) 2009

[Al-khiyal]

ES Sétif seek Confederation Cup

December 4, 2009 -- Algerian champions Entente Sétif will be without their top scorer Abdelmalek Ziaya for the second leg of the finals of the African Confederation Cup final. Ziaya who has scored 15 goals in the competition is suspended for Saturday's game against Stade Malien of Mali. The Algerian club take a 2-0 advantage into the game Sétif will also miss striker Rafik Bouderbal who was not registered in time for the Cup. The 25-year-old Ziaya scored both goals in the first leg but his coach Ali Mechiche says his absence will not deter Entente as they seek a first African title in 21 years. "The suspension of Abdelmalek will not change our game plan as there are equally good replacements available to me," he said. "We play as a team and do not rely on a single individual." Ziaya must now settle for a seat at the 50,000-capacity Bamako stadium, but he has already created history in the second-tier African club competition by becoming the most prolific leading scorer. Eric Bekoe from Asante Kotoko of Ghana and Tresor Mputu Mabi from Tout Puissant Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo shared the leading scorer record with 10 goals apiece. Although Malien remain underdogs as they seek to become the first club from the West African state to win an African club competition, 'The Whites' will draw hope from an impressive home record. Of five victories, four were by two-goal margins, including a 4-2 win over Enppi of Egypt, who inflicted the only home defeat on Entente during the competition.

[Al-khiyal]

ES Setif arrive in Bamako

December 4, 2009 -- ES Setif arrived in Bamako to face Mali's Stade Malien for the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final, El Moudjahid reported. The match on Saturday (December 5th) will be officiated by Seychelles' referee Eddy Maillet of Seychelles. Maillet was the referee for the World Cup qualifying tie-breaker between Algeria and Egypt in Sudan.

[Al-khiyal]

Finale de la Coupe de la CAF :
L'ES Sétif battue par le Stade Malien

Samedi 5 Décembre 2009 -- L’ES Sétif a perdu la finale de la Coupe de la confédération africaine de football (CAF) aujourd’hui samedi 5 décembre à Bamako après sa défaite aux tirs aux buts (3-2) face au Stade Malien. Le club malien a réussi à refaire son retard du match aller à Sétif en battant le club algérien par deux buts à zéro à l’issue du temps réglementaire. L’ESS avait battu le Stade Malien par le même score il y a une semaine à Sétif. L'ESS échoue ainsi à prolonger la fête du football en Algérie entamée il y deux semaines par la qualification de l'équipe nationale au Mondial 2010 au détriment de l'Egypte.

[Al-khiyal]

Stade Malien win Confederation Cup title

December 5, 2009 -- Stade Malien won the Confederation Cup after beating Algeria's Entente Setif 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out on Saturday. The Malians beat the visitors 2-0 in the second-leg game in Bamako, leaving the final match at 2-2. Goalkeeper Diakite Soumbeyla became the hero during the shoot-out by saving three kicks to hand Mali its first continental title. Stade Malien will now face Champions League winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo next year for the Super Cup. The home side also won the US$660,000 prize-money following the win. Stade dominated the opening exchanges but Setif defenders Raho Slimane and Diss Smain were resolute as they thwarted their attackers. But the home side's persistence paid off in the 52nd minute when striker Coulibaly Bakary broke the deadlock from a goalmouth melee. Ousmane Bakayoko converted a penalty three minutes later to level the tie after Slimane's was adjudged to have fouled his marker. Setif had a late chance to prevent the home side from winning the title but Hemani Nabil shot wide with only the goal at his mercy. Previous winners of a competition that replaced the African Cup Winners Cup and Caf Cup in 2004 include Hearts of Oak of Ghana, FAR Rabat of Morocco, Etoile Sahel and fellow Tunisians Sfaxien, who won twice in succession.