2008 North African Cup of Champions

2008 North African Cup of Champions
Tournament details
Dates	17 December 2008 – 25 January 2009
Teams	4 (from UNAF confederations)
Final positions
Champions	Club Africain (1st title)
Runners-up	FAR Rabat

The 2008 North African Cup of Champions was the first edition of the competition initiated by the North African Football Union (UNAF). Tunisian side Club Africain were crowned champions after beating Moroccan side FAR Rabat 3-2 on penalties in the final, after both legs ended 0-0.

Participating teams

Algeria	JS Kabylie (Algerian Championnat National Winners 2007-08)
Egypt	Al Ahly¹ (Egyptian Premier League Winners 2007-08)
Libya	Al Ittihad (Libyan Premier League Winners 2007-08)
Morocco	FAR Rabat (Botola Winners 2007-08)
Tunisia	Club Africain (Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 Winners 2007-08)

¹ Al Ahly will not compete as they have commitments with the Club World Championship in Japan.

Semi-final

Draw

First Legs

Club Africain 2 - 1 Al Ittihad (17 December)

JS Kabylie 1 - 1 FAR Rabat (19 December)

17 December 2008
14:00 GMT

Club Africain	2 – 1	Al Ittihad
Sellami 26' Ben Yahia 61' (pen.)		Ellafi 68'

Stade Olympique d'El Menzah

Attendance: 25,000

19 December 2008
14:00 GMT

JS Kabylie	1 – 1	FAR Rabat
Coulibaly 23'		Ouchela 48'

Stade 1er Novembre

Attendance: 15,000

Second Legs

Al Ittihad 1 - 1 Club Africain (24 December)

FAR Rabat 1 - 0 JS Kabylie (26 December)

24 December 2008
15:30 GMT

Al Ittihad	1 – 1	Club Africain
Esnani 14'		Ouertani 57'

11 June Stadium

Attendance: 35,000

Referee:

Essam Abdelfattah

Club Africain advance to the Final with an aggregate score of 3-2

26 December 2008
14:30 GMT

FAR Rabat	1 – 0	JS Kabylie
Akadar 59'

Stade Moulay Abdellah

FAR Rabat advance to the Final with an aggregate score of 2-1

3rd/4th-place play-off

8 January 2009
15:00 GMT

Al Ittihad	1 – 1	JS Kabylie
Rahuma 20' Zubya 90+1		Bensaid 79'

11 June Stadium

Referee:

Qasim Belnasir

There has been an ongoing feud as to who will take 3rd place. Al Ittihad were originally given 3rd place as JS Kabylie did not play a penalty shootout, as they claim they won the tie on away goals. The Algerian club also said that Ittihad had an unfair advantage playing at home in a one-off match. As a result, CAF will meet on 19 January to discuss the match.

The FNAF later decided that the two clubs would share 3rd place, and therefore share the $75,000 prize fund.