Defending champions of the CAF Confederation Cup, USM Alger secured their spot in the semi-finals of the competition on Sunday night after defeating Rivers United of Nigeria 2-0 in the second leg of the quarter-finals.
Rivers United defeated the North African Club in the First Leg 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Nigeria on the 31st of March 2024. USM Alger ensured they won the second match with a one-goal difference. They defeated the only Nigeria representative left in the tournament 2-1 on aggregate to advance to the Semi-Final.
Malian striker, Abdullah Kanou, scored both goals for USM Alger securing a valuable victory for his team which sent them to the semi-finals for the second consecutive time. The Hosts started the match strongly, aiming to open the scoring, but they were unable to do so until the 37th minute when Kanou opened the scoring from close range.
The second half saw a significant increase in USM Alger’s attacking movements, hoping to extend their lead, but the play became more centralized in the midfield. In the 72nd minute, Rivers United came close to equalizing, but Andy Ogbai’s header hit the crossbar. Kanou scored the second in the 74th minute, securing the second goal that guaranteed the defending champions’ qualification to the semi-finals. The Defending Champions will now Moroccan club, Berkane in the semi-finals later this month.
