Forward Abderrahmane Meziane and goalkeeper Moustapha Zeghba played pivotal roles on Friday as Algerian club CR Belouizdad became the first qualifiers for the CAF Champions League group stage.
CR Belouizdad with a win in today’s #TotalEnergiesCAFCL preliminary round. 👇 pic.twitter.com/pz1jkwNi1s
— TotalEnergiesCAFCL & TotalEnergiesCAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 20, 2024
Meziane scored to give the home side a 1-0 second leg win over Douanes of Burkina Faso and Zeghba saved two penalty kicks in a shootout, which Belouizdad won 4-3 after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
CR Belouizdad becomes first Algerian club to reach 5️⃣ consecutive CAF Champions League group stage appearances.
— Kofi Asiedu (@KofiAsiedu_) September 20, 2024
Ties ES Setif's Algerian record with 6️⃣ appearances.#TotalEnergiesCAFCL #CAFCL pic.twitter.com/EilXOQSHxL
The lone goal came after 35 minutes when Meziane latched on to a cross-field pass from Mohamed Azzi and slammed a low shot into the corner of the net.
After a 1-0 first-leg loss last weekend, France-born Belouizdad coach Corentin Martins made several changes, including giving new signing Khanyisa Mayo, a forward from South Africa, a debut.
Vidéo 📹 - But ⚽
— Ablam GNAMESSO (@AblamGnamesso) September 20, 2024
42'
CR Belouizdad 🇩🇿 1-0 AS Douanes 🇧🇫
1-1 sur l'ensemble des 2 matchs pour le moment.
[2ème tour préliminaire de la Ligue des Champions de la CAF, saison 2024-2025] pic.twitter.com/mVd4YJ4VZn
Winning the second round qualifier earned the Algiers outfit a fifth consecutive appearance and sixth overall in the mini-league phase of the premier African club competition.
It also ensured Belouizdad will be at least $850 000 (€760 000) richer as that is the minimum prize money for the 16 qualifiers.
Douanes had hoped to become the first club from Burkina Faso to progress beyond the two-round qualifying phase.
🇿🇦 Khanyisa Mayo’s 🇩🇿 CR Belouizdad booked a place in the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL group stages after beating Burkina Faso side 🇧🇫 AS Douanes Ouagadougou on penalties (4-3).#TotalEnergiesCAFCL 🌐 pic.twitter.com/1MLP9MEGa5
— Sinethemba Makonco (@Makonco_M) September 20, 2024
Like all Burkinabe clubs they have been forced to play home matches at neutral venues for many seasons as there is no international-standard stadium in the country.