This archive report was first published on 11 July 2021.
On a sweltering Saturday in Cotonou, Benin, Moroccan club Raja Casablanca emerged victorious in the CAF Confederation Cup final, defeating Algerian rivals JS Kabylie 2-1.
Published on July 11, 2021, the match saw Raja take an early lead, with star attacker Soufiane Rahimi scoring the opening goal just five minutes in. The Moroccan player's effort was met with controversy, as Kabylie protested that Rahimi was offside. However, South African referee Victor Gomes upheld the goal after a VAR check.
Rahimi turned creator just nine minutes later, setting up a close-range shot for physically imposing Congolese player Ben Malango, who doubled Raja's advantage.
Despite being down by two goals, Kabylie refused to give up. Zakaria Boulahia pulled one goal back for the Algerian side in the first minute of the second half, and they continued to push for an equaliser. However, their efforts were thwarted when Omar Arjoune was shown a straight red card on 63 minutes, leaving Kabylie to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Raja held on to secure their second Confederation Cup title within four seasons and their eighth overall in CAF competitions, cementing their status as the fifth most successful club in the competition's history.
