USM Alger secured an important 1-0 victory over Zamalek SC in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final played on Saturday night, May 9, 2026, at Stade du 5 Juillet.
The match was highly competitive, with fans packed inside the stadium witnessing an intense tactical battle between the two North African giants.
The only goal of the match was scored by striker Ahmed Khaldi in the 90+8th minute from the penalty spot after a VAR decision went against Zamalek late in the game.
The closing moments of the match were dramatic after Zamalek believed they had scored the winning goal before the referee stopped play to review the incident using VAR.
Following the review, a penalty was awarded to USM Alger, and Ahmed Khaldi made no mistake as he found the back of the net to hand the Algerian side a narrow but crucial victory ahead of the return leg.
The result gives USM Alger a slight advantage before traveling to Cairo for the second leg scheduled for May 16, 2026, at Cairo International Stadium. However, Zamalek still have a strong chance of turning the tie around as they will be at home needing a win by more than one goal to lift the CAF Confederation Cup title.
USM Alger coach Lamine N’Diaye emphasized the importance of making home advantage count before the match, while Zamalek manager Motamed Gamal expressed confidence that his team’s experience in African competitions could help them perform well in the return leg.
Historically, USM Alger are chasing their second CAF Confederation Cup title after winning the competition in 2023 by defeating Young Africans SC, while Zamalek are looking to add to their successes after lifting the trophy in 2019 and 2024.
