MAS players celebrate the long-awaited African glory Moroccan side MAS Fes clinched the 2011 Orange CAF Confederation Cup after upstaging Club Africain of Tunisia 6-5 on penalties on Sunday in Fes. Striker Moussa Tigana scored the decisive goal in the encounter at the Complex Sportif in Fes forcing the game to be decided on penalties. Goalkeeper Anas Zniti was the hero for his side scoring the winning penalty as MAS clinched a major continental championship.
MAS also ensured the second tier continental club championship stayed in Morocco after compatriots FUS Rabat beat CS Sfaxien, also of Tunisia in the 2010 final.
The Moroccans dominated possession during the fiery second leg. Malian-import Tigana let fly a thunderbolt which hit the inside of the crossbar and then the ball seeming crossing the goal line before bouncing back into play.
The match was into added time at the end of the first 45 minutes when MAS scored through Tigana, who was a threat all evening.
An attacking play saw MAS test Club Africain goalie Sami Nefzy, who spilled the ball unto path of Tigana, who slammed home from close range and to take the aggregate score to 1-1.
Club Africain came back strong after the break mounting attacks as the more defensive approach of first half was abandoned in search of a goal. Their effort suffered a major blow after Chadian-import Ezechiel Ndouassel was sent off.
During the shootout, Zniti scored the decisive kick to power his side to glory.
MAS will pocket the $660,000 prize-money and will also face Esperance of Tunisia in next year’s Orange CAF Super Cup.