Ziyech slip leads to stunning CAF Cup exit for Wydad

CAF Confederation Cup action between Wydad Casablanca Olympique Safi [Wydad, Facebook]

A momentary lapse in concentration by former Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech led to Moroccan club giants Wydad Casablanca making a stunning exit from the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.

The 33-year-old cheaply surrendered possession just outside the box and fellow Moroccans Olympique Safi took advantage to score in the 90th minute and take a 2-1 quarter-final second-leg lead.

Ziyech then showed his class by equalising with an unstoppable shot direct from a free-kick to salvage a 2-2 draw, but Safi qualified on away goals after the first leg finished 1-1 last weekend.

Since the 2025/26 Confederation Cup -- the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League -- kicked off last September multiple CAF title winners Wydad and Zamalek of Egypt have been the favourites.

Given Wydad are second in the Moroccan league and Safi last, separated by 22 points, most Moroccan football followers believed the outcome of the African tie was a foregone conclusion.

But three-time African champions Wydad suffered a major second leg blow when goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid was sent off after 24 minutes for a professional foul.

It has not been a happy quarter-final for the shot-stopper, who conceded an own goal in the first leg.

Worse followed for Wydad as they fell behind on 40 minutes when Safi captain Sofian El Moudane converted a penalty.

Mohamed Moufid equalised nine minutes into first half added time, and the clubs remained level on the night and on aggregate until substitute Moussa Kone punished the Ziyech slip by scoring.

The Ziyech leveller came too late. Wydad needed a third goal under the away goal rule, but Safi survived for a remarkable triumph.

Safi will face 2023 Confederation Cup winners USM Alger in the semi-finals. The Algerian outfit beat Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in another tie decided by away goals.

The quarter-final was drawn 2-2 on aggregate and USM qualified because they scored when losing the first leg 2-1 in central Africa.

Zamalek were the only qualifiers who did not need the away goals rule. They overcame AS Otoho of Congo Brazzaville 2-1 in Cairo for a 3-2 overall victory.

The two-time Confederation Cup winners will face another Algerian side, Chabab Belouizdad, for a place in the final.

Belouizdad drew 0-0 at home against Al Masry of Egypt on Saturday, and the goal they scored in a 1-1 first-leg draw in Suez took them through.