Moroccan club FAR first to reach CAF Cup play-offs

AS FAR Rabat of Morocco became the first qualifiers for the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs when they defeated AngloGold Ashanti Golden Boys of Guinea 1-0 in Nongo on Friday.

The win followed a 4-0 home victory last weekend by the north Africans and completed a convincing 5-0 aggregate triumph in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

Winning the last 32 tie earned FAR a place in the play-offs draw in Cairo on Tuesday, when they will be paired with a CAF Champions League last 32 loser for a two-leg match up during November.

The only goal of the second leg at the Stade General Lassana Conte came in the second minute of added time from midfielder Soulaimane el Bouchqali.

It was the seventh goal scored by FAR in four Confederation Cup matches this season against Remo Stars of Nigeria and Golden Boys and seven different players have netted.

Morocco have dominated the competition in the past five seasons, with title-holders Renaissance Berkane winning twice and finishing runners-up once and Raja Casablanca also succeeding twice.

Berkane, seeking to match the record three titles of CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, must overcome a 3-1 deficit when they host Kwara United of Nigeria on Saturday.