RS Berkane defeated Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the CAF Confederation Cup final at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Nigeria on Friday night.
Therefore, the Oranges were crowned champions of the Confederation Cup for the second time following an entertaining encounter which saw Thembinkosi Lorch cancel out Youssef El Fahli's opening goal.
Moroccan clubs continued their dominance of Africa's secondary club tournament as Raja Casablanca won last season's title having defeated Pirates in the quarter-finals. Berkane had clinched the ?2019-20? edition.
As for Pirates, they lost in the Confederation Cup final for the second time having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Tunisian giants Etoile Du Sahel on aggregate in the 2015 final.
The Buccaneers dominated the game from the first whistle with Hamza Hamiani being the busier of the two goalkeepers as he produced some fantastic saves to keep the South African giants at bay.
The 28-year-old shot-stopper pulled off a save to deny Deon Hotto from a one-on-one situation before gathering a long-range effort from Thembinkosi Lorch who had spotted the keeper off his goal-line.
Pirates kept pushing for the opening goal with Bandile Shandu being superbly denied by a diving Hamiani after the Berkane defence was exposed just after the half-hour mark.
The Oranges did threaten in first half stoppage time when keeper Richard Ofori pulled off a good save to deny Youssef El Fahli and the score was 0-0 during the half-time break in the city of Uyo.
Pirates continued where they had left off in the first half, but they were still wasteful in front of goal as Hamiani denied Hotto from point-blank range after a good move by the 1995 African champions.
Lorch was also denied by Hamiani for the second time on the night as the former Wydad Fes star made a vital save following a scramble in the Oranges' box.
Berkane looked to snatch a late winning goal in the closing stages, but the Pirates defence which included the impressive Olisa Ndah stood firm and the game ended in a 0-0 draw in regulation time and extra-time followed.
Pirates co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids made changes prior to the start of the first half of extra-time introducing Bafana Bafana international Thabang Monare and Siphesihle Ndlovu.
The Oranges were awarded a penalty after Monare was adjudged to have fouled Ismail Mokadem inside the Bucs box and El Fahli beat Ofori from the spot-kick to hand Berkane a 1-0 lead in the 97th minute.
However, Pirates fought back and they snatched an equalising goal in the 117th minute when Lorch beat Hamiani with a low shot to make it 1-1. Ultimately, the game went into a penalty shootout after ending in a stalemate.
Unfortunately for Lorch, he became the villain during the shootout as he was the only Pirates player who failed to convert from the spot-kick as Berkane claimed a 5-4 win on penalties as the Moroccan side converted all of their five spot-kicks.
Pirates 1 (Lorch 117')
Berkane 1 (El Fahli 97')
Pirates: Ofori, Jele, Maela, Ndah, Shandu (Ndlovu 90'), Dlamini (Mntambo 106'), Motshwari (Monare 90'), Mosele, Lorch, Peprah (Mabasa 60'), Hotto.
Berkane: Hamiani, Baadi, Dayo, Mokadem, Moussaoui, Oubila (Regragui 80'), Naji, El Hilali (Camara 117'), El Bahri (Bahraoui 80'), Muzungu (Kisinda 108'), El Fahli (Zghoudi 108').