Result
- Zamalek 1-0 USM Alger [Agg: 1-1, USMA win 8-7 on pen]
Algeria’s USM Alger won the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup champions for the second time in their history after defeating Zamalek 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday night.
One-nil down from the first leg, Zamalek levelled the tie inside two minutes through Oday Al-Dabbagh’s early penalty.
However, they couldn’t get a second as the Algerian side held on and then won a tense penalty shootout in front of the hosts’ huge fans base in the stands.
Both teams converted their opening seven spot-kicks. Abdullah El-Said, Hossam Abdel-Maguid, Seif El-Jaziri and Bezerra all scored for Zamalek, while Khaldi, Zakaria Draoui, Radouani and Ben Ayad responded for the Algerians.
The decisive moment finally arrived when Mohamed Shehata blasted Zamalek’s eighth penalty over the crossbar.
USM Alger substitute Tending then stepped forward and calmly converted the winning kick, sparking wild celebrations among the visiting players and supporters.
For Zamalek, it was a bitter ending to a campaign that had promised so much. Remarkably, it was the first time the Egyptian club had lost a continental final via penalties after previously boasting a perfect record in shootouts.
For USM Alger coach Lamine Ndiaye, however, the triumph added another major continental achievement to his growing résumé as the Algerian side once again etched their name into African football history.
It is the second Caf Confederation Cup for USM Alger after they also won the 2023 edition on top of the prize, bagged winners’ prize money worth USD 4 million.
