Quarter-final ties finely balanced ahead of decisive TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup second legs

The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2025/26 moves into a defining weekend, with four semi-final places to be decided as the quarter-final second legs take place across the continent.

After an evenly matched first round of fixtures, the competition remains wide open, with only DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union holding a narrow advantage, while the other three ties are level heading into the return encounters.

Maniema Union will travel to Algeria with a 2-1 lead over USM Alger following their first-leg victory in Lubumbashi. The DR Congo side showed efficiency in key moments to edge the contest, but USM Alger now return to home soil knowing that a strong performance could see them overturn the deficit and progress.

In Algiers, CR Belouizdad welcome Egypt’s Al Masry SC after both sides settled for a 1-1 draw in the opening meeting. The Algerian club’s late equaliser away from home has set up a finely poised contest, with qualification expected to be decided by small margins.

Zamalek SC will look to turn home advantage into progression when they host AS Otoho in Cairo. The Egyptian side earned a 1-1 draw in Brazzaville, a result that keeps them in a favourable position, although the Congolese visitors have already shown they can trouble their opponents and remain firmly in the race.

An all-Moroccan clash between Wydad Athletic Club and Olympique Club de Safi is also delicately balanced following a 1-1 draw in the first leg. With the return fixture set for Casablanca, both sides will aim to seize control in what promises to be another closely contested encounter.

Across the four ties, the first-leg results reflected the competitiveness of this year’s tournament, where no team has been able to establish clear dominance at this stage of the competition.

The upcoming matches will now determine which four clubs advance to the semi-finals, as the tournament enters its decisive phase.

With qualification still within reach for all eight teams, anticipation is building for what could be a dramatic and unpredictable conclusion to the quarter-finals.

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2025/26 - Quarter-final second-leg fixtures (All times in GMT)

Saturday, 21 March
19:00 – CR Belouizdad (Algeria) vs Al Masry SC (Egypt)

Sunday, 22 March
16:00 – Zamalek SC (Egypt) vs AS Otoho (Congo)
18:00 – Wydad AC (Morocco) vs Olympique Club de Safi (Morocco)
19:00 – USM Alger (Algeria) vs AS Maniema Union (DR Congo)