The dream has ended for Dreams FC. The Ghanaian fairytale makers witnessed their remarkable journey in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup abruptly halted by the ruthless efficiency of Zamalek.Following a goalless first leg in Cairo, Hamza Mathlouthi’s early goal set the Egyptian giants on course for a 3-0 victory in Kumasi, securing their place in the final with a resounding dismissal of the competition’s surprise package.##NAJAVA_MECA_8063151##Samson Akinyoola’s exquisite volley and a late Mustafa Shalaby strike sealed a professional away performance as Zamalek emphasized their status as continental heavyweights.For Dreams, their inaugural foray into African club football’s second-tier competition concludes with heads held high, despite the sting of this humbling defeat lingering.After eliminating Mali heavyweights Stade Malien on their journey to the semifinals, Dreams arrived in Kumasi fueled by the belief they could cause another monumental upset. However, those aspirations were quickly dashed as Mathlouthi scored with a powerful header, silencing the Kumasi fans.The Tunisian defender, who had also scored in Zamalek’s quarter-final victory over Modern Future, doubled his tally just 12 minutes into the match, firmly placing the White Knights in control.Akinyoola’s sensational strike midway through the first half left Dreams needing three goals to stay alive in the tie. Despite opportunities for experienced striker John Antwi and young Abdul Aziz Issah, Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Awad made crucial saves to deny the home side.Omar Gaber and Hossam Abdelmaguid came close to extending Zamalek’s lead before halftime, showcasing the team’s blend of power and finesse.Any hopes of a miraculous comeback for Dreams were dashed just before the hour mark when Shalaby ended his six-month scoring drought with a clinical finish. Despite Dreams’ efforts to salvage respectability in the scoreline, Zamalek’s dominance prevailed.Ultimately, Dreams’ historic continental run came to an abrupt end at the hands of a clinical Zamalek side as the Egyptian heavyweights advance to yet another continental final.Stars Abroad: Olunga scores in season-ender as Ochieng’, Ng’ang’a feature in ZambiaUnion Sportive de la Médina d’Alger (USMA) opted out of playing the return leg of their semi-final against Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) on Sunday evening, as anticipated. Prior to this decision, Algerian team officials had made it clear that they would refuse to participate if RSB wore jerseys featuring the full map of Morocco. The dispute arose during the first leg in Algeria, where USMA prevented Berkane from using jerseys displaying the Moroccan flag. Consequently, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded a walkover to Berkane for the second leg.Following USMA’s boycott, CAF might impose additional penalties against the club and the Algerian Football Federation (FAF). FAF has escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and filed a complaint with FIFA against CAF.In light of USMA’s withdrawal, Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) will advance to face Zamalek of Egypt in the final of the African Football Confederation Cup.
