BERKANE, Morocco (Reuters) -Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane scored two early goals but failed to add any more as they beat Simba of Tanzania 2-0 in Saturday’s first leg of the African Confederation Cup final to take the advantage into next week’s return.
Berkane were heavily fancied going into their fifth Confederation Cup final in the past seven years and went ahead after eight minutes through Mamadou Camara, rising unmarked to head home from an in-swinging corner.
A second goal from Oussama Lamlioui followed six minutes later in a blistering start that left the visitors looking shell-shocked and threatened a deluge of goals.
Berkane, who have won the competition twice previously, had the ball in the net for a third time on the hour mark but Youssef Mehri’s effort was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Simba, whose previous appearance in a continental club competition final was 32 years ago, had few chances in the game but have home advantage for the return leg in Zanzibar on May 25.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
