Raja Casablanca will be the first Moroccan club in action in the return legs of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup. The Green Eagles host Nigeria’s El-Kanemi Warriors on Friday, October 23, after a 2-2 draw in the first leg.
The first meeting, played last Sunday at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, saw Paco Jémez’s men fall behind in the sixth minute. Mohammad Abu Zrayq equalized in the 23rd minute before Mathias Oyewusi put Raja ahead in the 61st. El-Kanemi Warriors salvaged a draw with an 82nd-minute goal.
Raja could have taken a better result into the return leg against an opponent considered modest, but qualification remains within reach. The Casablanca side will need to address the defensive weaknesses exposed in Nigeria if they are to return to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage for the first time since 2021, when they won the competition by beating JS Kabylie in the final.
This season’s Confederation Cup features several prominent African clubs, including Al Ahly, the continent’s most decorated club, AS FAR, last season’s African runner-up, Kaizer Chiefs FC, CS Sfaxien and USM Alger. Raja will need to raise their level to compete with these sides after the defensive lapses in the first leg.
Friday’s match kicks off at 20:00 at the Mohammed V Complex, also known as the Donor stadium, and will be broadcast live on Arryadia, the SNRT group’s third television channel.
