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OC Safi's historic CAF Confederation Cup run ends in semi-finals
via Le Matin2 min read
Olympic Club de Safi's inaugural CAF Confederation Cup campaign, though historic for the club, concluded in the semi-finals, marked by a struggle to convert dominance into goals. The Moroccan team, dubbed the "Safi Sharks," started strong with a 5-0 victory against ASN Nigelec in the qualification phase and progressed through the first round. However, the knockout stages presented challenges, as the team often failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities. The Confederation of African Football CAF highlighted OC Safi's limited effectiveness, noting a "frustrating" pattern of domination and significant chances that ultimately cost them a place in the final. A striking statistic from CAF revealed that OC Safi recorded five consecutive draws, a first in the competition's history. This streak began on February 14, 2026, against USMA in the group stage, followed by two draws against Wydad and Union Sportive d'Alger in the semi-finals. Against the Algerian opponents, OC Safi failed to secure a win in four encounters three draws, one loss, scoring only one goal despite 41 shots and an "expected goals" total of 3.4. The club won four of its first five matches in the 2025-2026 edition before the five consecutive draws. Moussa Koné emerged as the top scorer from the bench in this edition, netting three goals from three shots on target. Despite falling short of the final, OC Safi gained valuable experience from their historic first participation.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
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