USM Alger secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Zamalek SC in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final after a controversial finish at the Stade du 5 Juillet on Saturday.
The tightly contested encounter appeared destined to end goalless until a chaotic stoppage-time sequence turned the match on its head.
Zamalek thought they had snatched a late winner on the counterattack through Juan Alvina, but the goal was ruled out after VAR instructed the referee to review an incident at the opposite end of the pitch.
Following the review, the referee awarded a penalty to USM Alger for a foul on Rayane Mahrouz inside the box.
The decision sparked confusion and frustration among the Egyptian side, with Mahmoud Bentayg also receiving a red card during the dramatic scenes.
Ahmed Khaldi remained composed amid the tension and calmly converted the spot-kick in the eighth minute of added time to hand the Algerian side a slender advantage heading into the second leg.
Despite enjoying large spells of possession, USM Alger struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the match and only tested goalkeeper El Mahdy Soliman on a few occasions.
Zamalek arguably produced the better scoring opportunities, particularly before halftime when Chico Banza twice came close to breaking the deadlock but failed to find the target.
The Algerian side dominated possession after the break, although their attacking play lacked precision, while Zamalek offered little threat going forward in the second half.
The result gives USM Alger a narrow advantage ahead of the decisive second leg next weekend as they chase a second CAF Confederation Cup title in the club’s history.
