Zamalek defeats Espérance 3-1 to claim fourth CAF Super Cup title

Achraf Bencharki scored a brace as Egyptian giants Zamalek claimed their fourth CAF Super Cup title, defeating Tunisia’s Esperance 3-1, yesterday night at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in Doha.

The CAF Super Cup is contested by the winners of the CAF Champions League and the winners of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Bencharki’s brace came after Esperance’s Abdelraouf Benguit canceled Yousef Ibrahim “Obama” opener for Zamalek, to give the White Knights another title, 17 years after their last glory in the annual one-off match.

The 2019/20 CAF Confederation Cup champions claimed the title, which is the second consecutive for Zamalek French coach Patrice Carteron who won the same title last year with Morocco’s Raja, also in barely two minutes after the kickoff, Zamalek took the lead via Obama. The winger header met Mohamed Abdelshafy’s cross from the left side to give the White Knights a lead that lasted till halftime.

Nine minutes after the break Esperance equalized from the spot. A handball on Zamalek’s defender Mahmoud Hamdy was confirmed by VAR technology as Benguit sent Zamalek’s keeper Mohamed Abu Gabal in the wrong direction.

But the draw just lasted for three minutes, as Bencharki’s solo effort restored Zamalek’s lead after 58 minutes. The Moroccan waived his way past two defenders to send a low shot inside Moez Ben Chrifia’s net.

Esperance threw everyone in attack and had their chances. Deep into injury time, Bencharki sealed victory for Zamalek, when he finished a counter-attack receiving Ferjani Sassi’s pass to send the ball into the net.

Espérance, who came into the match as CAF Champions League winners, has now lost four of its five Super Cup matches, with its sole victory coming in 1995.

This was the second CAF Super Cup match being staged outside Africa after the 2019 match was played at the same venue.

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Cover and Inline Images Credit: Twitter/@CAF_Online