HIBAPRESS – Sports
MAS Fes secured a spot in the group stage of the CAF Champions League, after achieving a valuable victory from the heart of Abidjan, by defeating Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the second leg of the preliminary round, which was held at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium.
The match began with a balanced tempo, with alternating attempts from both sides to open the scoring. However, defensive caution and the brilliance of the backlines prevented any goals during the first half, which ended in a goalless draw.
The complexion of the match changed after the break, as the Ivorian team managed to open the scoring in the 63rd minute through Bakary Koné, putting MAS Fes under the necessity to respond to avoid elimination from the continental competition.
The response from the Fes team was not long in coming, as they intensified their offensive pressure in search of an equalizer, which was achieved in the 73rd minute, when Congolese player Christopher Ibaba scored the equalizer, bringing the match back to square one and giving his team a strong boost in the remaining minutes.
As the match was heading towards its end, Khalid Baba succeeded in snatching the winning goal for MAS Fes in the 97th minute, capitalizing on the final moments to give his team a precious 2-1 victory and secure their qualification for the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
With this victory, MAS Fes confirmed its ability to come back from behind under pressure, after turning a deficit against their Ivorian opponent into an away win, to continue their continental journey and guarantee a place in the group stage of the competition.
