Club Africain secured a tense 1–0 victory over TP Mazembe on Sunday at Hamadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades, advancing 2–1 on aggregate to reach the CAF Champions League group stage alongside fellow Tunisian side Esperance.
The decisive blow arrived just moments before halftime in the second-leg fixture. Hamza Khadhraoui pounced on a defensive lapse as the Congolese visitors struggled to clear their lines, immediately rolling a precise pass to Cameroonian forward Taddeus Nkeng. Nkeng calmly slotted the ball home in the first minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half, giving the hosts the only goal they would need to break the 1–1 aggregate deadlock following last week’s draw in Lubumbashi.
Stadium Disruption Precedes the Opening Whistle
The high-stakes encounter in Rades carried heavy tension well before kickoff. Video footage circulating from the venue captured a chaotic scene on the pitch when an official from the visiting Congolese club walked toward the goal area and attempted to sprinkle an unidentified liquid substance between the goalposts. Club Africain staff members rushed across the turf to shove the official away, sparking a brief melee that drew in players from both sides before stadium security restored order amid local concerns over traditional pre-match rituals.
Outside the arena, Tunisian Ministry of Interior restrictions severely limited vehicle traffic along National Road No. 1 and surrounding Rades intersections starting Sunday afternoon, channeling ticket-holders into designated north and south parking sectors based on their seat tiers while keeping gates open early to manage the heavy crowds.
Fans Fund Free Broadcast as Former Stars Return
Supporters played a role in delivering the match to fans worldwide. Club Africain announced a free broadcast after devoted fans successfully collected funds through the club’s mobile application in just 24 hours to secure streaming rights on the official Facebook page and YouTube channel. Security authorities permitted 25,000 tickets for the match, including subscriptions.
The stands erupted prior to kickoff when former club stars Ali Youssef and Hamza Ben Abda stepped onto the pitch alongside team captain Ghaith Zaalouni to greet the roaring crowd. Both players recently moved to Libyan club Al-Ittihad, but took advantage of a domestic league break to travel back to Tunis and support their former side.
Shifting Ambitions for the Group Stage Draw
Head coach Maher Kenzari admitted that breaking through the preliminary rounds fundamentally alters the club’s trajectory for the rest of the continental campaign. Having cleared the initial hurdles against Mali’s Djoliba and now the five-time African champions from Lubumbashi, the technical staff believes the squad can target much deeper runs as they return to this elite stage for the first time since 2019.
We are happy to achieve one of the club’s goals this season, which is qualification for the Champions League group stage, and we will seek to develop our ambitions as we progress in the competition to go as far as possible.
The qualification places Club Africain alongside domestic rivals Esperance in the tournament’s group phase following Esperance’s penalty-shootout win over Libya’s Al-Swehly. The official group-stage draw is scheduled for Wednesday in Cairo to map out the path ahead for the remaining sixteen contenders.
