2023 CAF Confederation Cup final
# 2023 CAF Confederation Cup final

The 2023 CAF Confederation Cup final were the final matches of the 2022–23 CAF Confederation Cup, the 20th season of Africa's premier club football tournament organised by CAF under the current CAF Confederation Cup title after the merger of CAF Cup and African Cup Winners' Cup.

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Young Africans from Tanzania and USM Alger from the Algeria. The first leg was hosted by Young Africans at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on 28 May 2023, while the second leg was hosted by USM Alger at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers on 3 June 2023.

USM Alger won against Young Africans by away goal rule, after a 2–2 draw, which the Algerian side scored twice away in the 2–1 win earlier.

## Background

Young Africans became the first Tanzanian club to reach the CAF Confederation Cup final and the second continental final for Tanzanian clubs, also the first club from CECAFA to reach a continental final since 1993 by Simba Sports Club in the CAF Cup.

USM Alger it is the second time has reached a continental final after the CAF Champions League final in 2015 against TP Mazembe where they was defeated. This was the fourth CAF Confederation Cup final for the algerian club after ES Sétif, MO Béjaïa and JS Kabylie who were all defeated. USM Alger is looking for the first continental title, especially since the second leg is played in Algeria.

### Previous finals

| Team | Zone | Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners) |
| - | - | - |
| Young Africans | CECAFA (East Africa) | none |
| USM Alger | UNAF (North Africa) | none |

## Venues

After playing the final in the last three copies in a neutral land, the return was made to the previous home and away system and the first leg in Dar es Salaam will be played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on May 28. It opened in 2007 and was built adjacent to Uhuru Stadium, the former national stadium. It hosts major football matches such as the Tanzanian Premier League and home matches of the Tanzania national football team, the second leg at Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers on June 3 where the winners will lift the trophy. It opened in 1972 and served as the main stadium of the 1975 Mediterranean Games, the 1978 All-Africa Games, the 2004 Pan Arab Games, and the 2007 All-Africa Games. The stadium was one of two venues of the 1990 African Cup of Nations (the other venue was the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba).

| Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania hosted the first leg. | Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers, Algeria hosted the second leg. |
| - | - |

## Road to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

| Young Africans | Young Africans | Young Africans | Young Africans | Round | USM Alger | USM Alger | USM Alger | USM Alger |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| CAF Champions League | CAF Champions League | CAF Champions League | CAF Champions League | | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup |
| Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Qualifying rounds (CL, CC) | Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Zalan | 9–0 | 4–0 (A) | 5–0 (H) | First round | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| Al Hilal | 1–2 | 1–1 (H) | 0–1 (A) | Second round | ASC Kara | 4–1 | 2–0 (A) | 2–1 (H) |
| CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | | | | | |
| Club Africain | 1–0 | 0–0 (H) | 1–0 (A) | Playoff round | Cape Town City | 1–0 | 0–0 (A) | 1–0 (H) |
| Opponent | Result | Result | Result | Group stage | Opponent | Result | Result | Result |
| Union Monatirienne | 0–2 (A) | 0–2 (A) | 0–2 (A) | Matchday 1 | Saint-Éloi Lupopo | 3–0 (H) | 3–0 (H) | 3–0 (H) |
| TP Mazembe | 3–1 (H) | 3–1 (H) | 3–1 (H) | Matchday 2 | Al Akhdar | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) |
| Real Bamako | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) | Matchday 3 | Marumo Gallants | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) |
| Real Bamako | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) | Matchday 4 | Marumo Gallants | 0–2 (A) | 0–2 (A) | 0–2 (A) |
| Union Monatirienne | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (H) | Matchday 5 | Saint-Éloi Lupopo | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) | 1–1 (A) |
| TP Mazembe | 1–0 (A) | 1–0 (A) | 1–0 (A) | Matchday 6 | Al Akhdar | 4–1 (H) | 4–1 (H) | 4–1 (H) |
| Group D winners Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Young Africans 6 13 2 Union Monastirienne 6 13 3 Real Bamako 6 5 4 TP Mazembe 6 3 Source: CAF | Group D winners Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Young Africans 6 13 2 Union Monastirienne 6 13 3 Real Bamako 6 5 4 TP Mazembe 6 3 Source: CAF | Group D winners Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Young Africans 6 13 2 Union Monastirienne 6 13 3 Real Bamako 6 5 4 TP Mazembe 6 3 Source: CAF | Group D winners Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Young Africans 6 13 2 Union Monastirienne 6 13 3 Real Bamako 6 5 4 TP Mazembe 6 3 Source: CAF | Final standings | Group A runners-up Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Marumo Gallants 6 12 2 USM Alger 6 11 3 Saint-Éloi Lupopo 6 5 4 Al Akhdar 6 5 Source: CAF | Group A runners-up Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Marumo Gallants 6 12 2 USM Alger 6 11 3 Saint-Éloi Lupopo 6 5 4 Al Akhdar 6 5 Source: CAF | Group A runners-up Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Marumo Gallants 6 12 2 USM Alger 6 11 3 Saint-Éloi Lupopo 6 5 4 Al Akhdar 6 5 Source: CAF | Group A runners-up Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Marumo Gallants 6 12 2 USM Alger 6 11 3 Saint-Éloi Lupopo 6 5 4 Al Akhdar 6 5 Source: CAF |
| Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Knockout stage | Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Rivers United | 2–0 | 2–0 (A) | 0–0 (H) | Quarter-finals | ASFAR | 4–3 | 2–0 (H) | 2–3 (A) |
| Marumo Gallants | 4–1 | 2–0 (H) | 2–1 (A) | Semi-finals | ASEC Mimosas | 2–0 | 0–0 (A) | 2–0 (H) |

## Format

The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis.

If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still equal, extra time was played, and a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner.

## Matches

### First leg

**Details**

| Young Africans | USM Alger |
| - | - |
| GK | 39 | Djigui Diarra |
| DF | 4 | Yannick Bangala Litombo |
| DF | 5 | Dickson Job | 30' | 76' |
| DF | 3 | Bakari Mwamnyeto (c) |
| DF | 15 | Kibwana Shomari | | 76' |
| DF | 2 | Ibrahim Abdallah Hamad |
| MF | 27 | Mudathir Yahya |
| FW | 10 | Stephane Aziz Ki | | 66' |
| FW | 25 | Kennedy Musonda | | 86' |
| FW | 29 | Tuisila Kisinda | | 76' |
| FW | 9 | Fiston Kalala Mayele |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 1 | Metacha Mnata |
| DF | 13 | Joyce Lomalisa | | 76' |
| DF | 21 | Djuma Shabani | | 76' |
| MF | 12 | Jesus Ducapel Moloko |
| MF | 17 | Faridi Mussa |
| MF | 18 | Salum Abubakar | | 66' |
| MF | 20 | Zawadi Mauya |
| FW | 33 | Bernard Morrison | | 76' |
| FW | 40 | Clement Franses Mzize | | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Nasreddine Nabi ||
| GK | 25 | Oussama Benbot | 90' |
| DF | 19 | Saâdi Radouani |
| DF | 12 | Haithem Loucif |
| DF | 4 | Zineddine Belaïd (c) |
| DF | 21 | Adam Alilet | 60' |
| MF | 6 | Oussama Chita | 49' |
| MF | 14 | Brahim Benzaza | 80' | 86' |
| MF | 8 | Islam Merili | | 90+8' |
| FW | 23 | Khaled Bousseliou | | 86' |
| FW | 31 | Tumisang Orebonye | | 90+8' |
| FW | 18 | Aymen Mahious | | 71' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 16 | Imad Benchlef |
| DF | 3 | Abdelkader Belharrane |
| DF | 27 | Ibrahim Bekakchi |
| MF | 15 | Messala Merbah | | 86' |
| MF | 24 | Taher Benkhelifa | | 90+8' |
| MF | 26 | Akram Djahnit | | 90+8' |
| FW | 7 | Ismail Belkacemi | | 86' |
| FW | 10 | Abderrahmane Meziane | | 71' |
| FW | 20 | Zakaria Alharaish |
| Manager: ||
| Abdelhak Benchikha ||
| Assistant referees: Zakhele Siwela (South Africa) Olivier Safari Kabene (DR Congo) Fourth official: Ahmad Imtehaz Heeralall (Mauritius) Video assistant referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya) Assistant video assistant referees: Akuna Maklama (South Africa) Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim (Sudan) | Match rules 90 minutes. Nine named substitutes, of which up to five may be used. |

**Statistics**

First half :

| Statistic | Young Africans | USM Alger |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 0 | 1 |
| Total shots | 0 | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Ball possession | 60% | 40% |
| Corner kicks | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 0 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

Second half :

| Statistic | Young Africans | USM Alger |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 1 | 1 |
| Total shots | 0 | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Ball possession | 70% | 30% |
| Corner kicks | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 4 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

Overall :

| Statistic | Young Africans | USM Alger |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 1 | 2 |
| Total shots | 15 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Ball possession | 65% | 35% |
| Corner kicks | 9 | 5 |
| Offsides | 1 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 4 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

### Second leg

**Details**

| USM Alger | Young Africans |
| - | - |
| GK | 25 | Oussama Benbot |
| DF | 19 | Saâdi Radouani |
| DF | 12 | Haithem Loucif |
| DF | 4 | Zineddine Belaïd (c) |
| DF | 21 | Adam Alilet |
| MF | 6 | Oussama Chita |
| MF | 15 | Messala Merbah | | 45' |
| MF | 8 | Islam Merili |
| MF | 23 | Khaled Bousseliou | | 74' |
| FW | 31 | Tumisang Orebonye | 78' |
| FW | 18 | Aymen Mahious | 5' | 90+5' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 16 | Imad Benchlef |
| DF | 3 | Abdelkader Belharrane |
| DF | 5 | Mustapha Bouchina |
| DF | 27 | Ibrahim Bekakchi |
| MF | 24 | Taher Benkhelifa | | 90+5' |
| MF | 26 | Akram Djahnit |
| FW | 7 | Ismail Belkacemi | | 74' |
| FW | 10 | Abderrahmane Meziane | | 45' |
| FW | 20 | Zakaria Alharaish |
| Manager: ||
| Abdelhak Benchikha ||
| GK | 39 | Djigui Diarra |
| DF | 21 | Djuma Shabani | | 83' |
| DF | 2 | Ibrahim Abdallah Hamad |
| DF | 3 | Bakari Mwamnyeto (c) | 67' |
| DF | 5 | Dickson Job |
| MF | 27 | Mudathir Yahya | 74' | 84' |
| MF | 18 | Salum Abubakar |
| MF | 29 | Tuisila Kisinda | | 62' |
| MF | 13 | Joyce Lomalisa | 15' | 84' |
| FW | 9 | Fiston Kalala Mayele |
| FW | 25 | Kennedy Musonda | | 72' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 1 | Metacha Mnata |
| DF | 4 | Yannick Bangala Litombo |
| DF | 15 | Kibwana Shomari |
| MF | 12 | Jesus Ducapel Moloko | | 83' |
| MF | 17 | Faridi Mussa | | 84' |
| MF | 20 | Zawadi Mauya |
| FW | 10 | Stephane Aziz Ki | | 72' |
| FW | 33 | Bernard Morrison | 90' | 62' |
| FW | 40 | Clement Franses Mzize | | 84' |
| Manager: ||
| Nasreddine Nabi ||
| Assistant referees: Jerson Emiliano dos Santos (Angola) Arsénio Chadreque Marengula (Mozambique) Fourth official: Mahmood Ismail (Sudan) Video assistant referee: Mahmoud Mohamed Ashour (Egypt) Assistant video assistant referees: Mohamed Adel (Egypt) Mahmoud Abo El Regal (Egypt) | Match rules 90 minutes. Penalty shoot-out if tied on aggregate and away goals. Nine named substitutes, of which up to five may be used. |

**Statistics**

First half :

| Statistic | USM Alger | Young Africans |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 0 | 1 |
| Total shots | 7 | 3 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 3 |
| Ball possession | 43% | 57% |
| Corner kicks | 1 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

Second half :

| Statistic | USM Alger | Young Africans |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 0 | 0 |
| Total shots | 9 | 4 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 2 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Ball possession | 49% | 51% |
| Corner kicks | 1 | 2 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

Overall :

| Statistic | USM Alger | Young Africans |
| - | - | - |
| Goals scored | 0 | 1 |
| Total shots | 16 | 7 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 3 |
| Saves | 2 | 5 |
| Ball possession | 46% | 54% |
| Corner kicks | 2 | 2 |
| Offsides | 0 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 4 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
