Mounir Chouiar turned from villain to hero as his dramatic stoppage-time winner propelled RS Berkane into the semifinals of the CAF Confederation Cup after a tense 1–0 second-leg victory over Al Hilal Omdurman at Amahoro Stadium on Sunday. Having missed a crucial second-half penalty, Chouiar redeemed himself in the 93rd minute, scoring the decisive goal that secured a 2–1 aggregate win for the Moroccan side. The encounter in Kigali was fiercely contested from start to finish. Following a 1–1 draw in the first leg, Al Hilal appeared to be in control for long stretches and looked on course to progress under coach Laurentiu Reghecampf. However, Berkane snatched qualification in the dying moments to stun the home crowd. The opening stages were lively, with both sides creating early chances, though Al Hilal looked sharper. Their high defensive line disrupted Berkane’s rhythm, making it difficult for the visitors to impose themselves. Opportunities remained scarce in the first half, with Burundi international Jean Girumugisha and Berkane’s Ayoub Khairi both attempting efforts that failed to trouble the scoreline. The match turned dramatically after the break. Al Hilal thought they had taken a decisive lead in the 57th minute when Adama Coulibaly found the net, only for VAR to rule out the goal due to a foul on Paul Bassene in the buildup. Instead, Berkane were awarded a penalty. Chouiar’s spot kick, however, was saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Farid Ouedraogo, keeping Al Hilal’s hopes alive. Content to protect the draw, Al Hilal dropped deeper, aiming to advance on the away-goal advantage. They nearly broke the deadlock when Ousmane Diouf struck the post with a header, while Chouiar continued to threaten at the other end. Just when the match seemed destined to end goalless, Berkane found their breakthrough. In stoppage time, Chouiar latched onto a precise through ball from Zinedine Machach and calmly slotted home from close range to seal a dramatic victory. The win sends Berkane into the final four, where they will face domestic rivals FAR Rabat, who advanced after eliminating Pyramids FC. For Al Hilal, it was a heartbreaking exit, their continental ambitions dashed in the final seconds of a match they had nearly controlled.
