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Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League

Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League
Renaissance Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani believes the Moroccan club could go one better than CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids and win the competition at the first attempt. (X/@MoorSportz)
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Updated 04 June 2025

Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League

Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League
  • Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup
  • “The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,” he said

JOHANNESBURG: Renaissance Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani believes the Moroccan club could go one better than CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids and win the competition at the first attempt.

Cairo outfit Pyramids won the premier African club competition last Sunday in only their second appearance by beating South African rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate.

Berkane last month became Moroccan champions for the first time, finishing 13 points ahead of runners-up FAR Rabat.

Called the Orange Boys as they are based in the citrus-growing northeast of Morocco, Renaissance will debut in the Champions League this year.

It is a milestone for a club formed in 1938 and overshadowed for decades by Casablanca giants Raja and Wydad, both three-time African champions.

Berkane finally conquered Morocco by winning 21 of 30 matches, drawing seven, losing just two, scoring 49 goals and conceding only 14 in a championship ranked the second toughest in Africa.

While Berkane are Champions League debutants, they are no strangers to Africa having
competed in the past eight editions of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, winning three
finals.

They were also runners-up twice to Egyptian opponents Zamalek, losing one title decider after a penalty shootout and another on away goals.

Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup.

“The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,” the coach who won back-to-back titles in the most prized African club competition with Tunis outfit Esperance told reporters.

“Thanks to repeated appearances in the Confederation Cup, I think Berkane have acquired continental experience. We have an ambitious squad capable of competing at the highest level.

“We will approach the Champions League campaign with great respect for opponents, but also with a desire to go far. Why not aim for the title?

“Our supporters can play a key role. Their unwavering backing, at home and away, has carried us through difficult times as well as joyful moments.”

The Municipal Stadium in Berkane accommodates just 15,000 spectators, and their closeness to the pitch creates what many visiting coaches have called “an intimidating atmosphere.”

Berkane won 43 of 49 home Confederation Cup matches since debuting in 2015, drew the other six, scored 113 goals and conceded only 18.

En route to the latest Confederation Cup triumph, they excelled at home, firing five goals past
Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria in the semifinals.

The Champions League is becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable with the success of Pyramids not foreseen when the competition kicked off last August.

The Cairo club boast a prolific scorer in Congolese Fiston Mayele, whose nine goals won him the Champions League Golden Boot.

Pyramids, fellow Egyptian challengers and record 12-time African champions Al Ahly, Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia will hope to claim the $4 million (EUR3.5 million) first prize.

Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, who are poised to qualify, and FAR were quarter-finalists last season and capable of going further this time.

Apart from the regular campaigners, there will be newcomers like Wiliete of Angola, Colombe of Cameroon and possibly Police, who need one point from two matches to become Kenyan champions.

Originally due to kick off in August, the Champions League will be delayed as the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been rescheduled for that month.


Pistons run win streak to seven games on night of NBA thrillers

Pistons run win streak to seven games on night of NBA thrillers
Updated 11 November 2025

Pistons run win streak to seven games on night of NBA thrillers

Pistons run win streak to seven games on night of NBA thrillers
  • In another overtime drama, Norman Powell scored 33 points and Andrew Wiggins added 23, including the winning dunk at the overtime buzzer to lift Miami over Cleveland 140-138
  • Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominating performance with 38 points, 12 rebounds, five blocked shots and five assists to lead San Antonio Spurs in a 121-117 triumph at Chicago

WASHINGTON: Cade Cunningham’s triple double, Daniss Jenkins’s three-pointer at the buzzer and Javonte Green’s overtime dunk lifted Detroit past Washington 137-135 on Monday, stretching the Pistons’ win streak to seven games.

In an unexpected thriller, the NBA’s second-best team barely outlasted a Wizards club that fell to an NBA-worst 1-10 with their ninth consecutive loss.

“We knew how big this game was for us,” Jenkins said. “We wasn’t going to let nothing stop us from getting this W.”

Cunningham made 14-of-45 shots for a career-high 46 points and added 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and two blocked shots as Detroit improved to 9-2.

“He’s the one who is going to lead this team whatever we do,” Detroit’s Jalen Duren said of Cunningham. “And to see him fight through and be the great player he is gave us the confidence.”

Jenkins came off the bench for a career-high 24 points and eight rebounds while Duren added 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons.

C.J. McCollum, who led Washington with 42 points, sank a floater with 14 seconds remaining to give the Wizards a 126-121 lead.

But Jenkins, who hadn’t played in three games, sank a three-pointer with three seconds remaining and, after a Kyshawn George free throw for Washington, hit another three-pointer at the buzzer to equalize at 127-127 and force overtime.

“I told myself if I got that ball I was going to shoot it,” Jenkins said. “He trusted me and passed it to me and it went in.

“I know what I’m capable of. I just had to believe in myself and trust in my work.”

Duren said of Jenkins: “He never shies away from the moment. He’s going to be a great player in this league and that showed tonight.”

In the extra session, Duncan Robinson’s three-pointer gave Detroit the lead and Green’s dunk made it 136-133 with 25 seconds remaining.

George added a layup for the Wizards and Duren sank a free throw to create the final margin. McCollum missed two three-point attempts in the dying seconds and the Pistons escaped with a triumph.

In another overtime drama, Norman Powell scored 33 points and Andrew Wiggins added 23, including the winning dunk at the overtime buzzer to lift Miami over Cleveland 140-138, ending the Cavaliers’ four-game win streak to leave both clubs 7-4.

Jaime Jaquez’s jumper with 7.1 seconds remaining lifted Miami level at 128-128 to force overtime.

Powell sank two free throws with 6.5 seconds left for a 138-135 Miami edge but Donovan Mitchell made a three-pointer with 0.4 of a second remaining to lift the Cavs level.

Not to be outdone, Miami won at the buzzer when Wiggins made an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Nikola Jovic.

Mitchell led the Cavs with 28 points and 15 rebounds.

Another tension-packed contest came in Orlando, where Desmond Bane’s three-pointer at the final buzzer gave the host Magic a 115-112 home victory over Portland.

Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 28 points while Bane added 22, missing all five of his three-point shots before hitting the game winner.

Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 31 points.

Wemby sparks Spurs

Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominating performance with 38 points, 12 rebounds, five blocked shots and five assists to lead the San Antonio Spurs in a 121-117 triumph at Chicago.

The Frenchman was 11-of-19 from the floor, including 6-of-9 from three-point range, and 10-of-10 from the free throw line while De’Aaron Fox added 21 for the Spurs.

Luka Doncic had a game-high 38 points with seven assists and six rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers in a 121-111 victory at Charlotte.

Austin Reaves added 24 points and Japan’s Rui Hachimura contributed 21 for the Lakers while Miles Bridges scored 34 points to lead the Hornets.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and added eight rebounds and six assists in a 116-114 Bucks victory at Dallas.