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Yanga dig in for priceless point as Berkane’s stoppage-time heist light up Matchday 2

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Young Africans earned a disciplined 0-0 draw away to JS Kabylie before RS Berkane stunned Rivers United 2-1 with two goals in added time on a dramatic opening night to Matchday 2 of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage.

In Tizi Ouzou, Group B’s first fixture delivered chances but no breakthrough. Kabylie struck the woodwork through captain Zinedine Belaïd in the first half and thought they had won it late on, only for Lahlou Akrib’s close-range finish to be ruled offside.

Young Africans, organised and stubborn, posed a threat on the counter and forced Mohamed Hadid into sharp saves, but the hosts’ goalkeeper matched everything the Tanzanian champions produced.

The stalemate lifts Yanga to the top of Group B for the moment, while Kabylie sit third ahead of the weekend’s heavyweight meeting between Morocco’s AS FAR and record winners Al Ahly in Rabat.

If Tizi Ouzou was about control, Port Harcourt was pure chaos. Rivers United led Group A leaders RS Berkane at half-time when Senegalese defender Mamadou Lamine Kamara put through his own net on 37 minutes.

The Nigerian side looked set to claim a statement win until nine minutes of added time turned the night on its head.

First, substitute Younes El Kaabi levelled in the 90+7th minute, reacting quickest after sustained pressure to sweep in.

Barely two minutes later, Mounir Chouair completed an extraordinary turnaround, guiding home the winner in the 90+9th minute to silence the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium and keep Berkane perfect.

The victory moves the Moroccan champions to six points from two matches and firm control of Group A.

Rivers United remain without a point after two outings, pending the clash between defending champions Pyramids FC and Power Dynamos.

Matchday 2 continues over the weekend with several ties, but Friday’s contrasting contests showcased both sides of the Champions League: tactical resilience on North African soil and late-game drama under West African floodlights.