Late strike lifts Royal Army over JS Kabylie to boost CAF Champions League hopes
31 January 2026
Match recap
The Moroccan Royal Army Club earned a valuable 1-0 victory over their Algerian guests, JS Kabylie, on Saturday evening in the fourth round of the CAF Champions League group stage.
The only goal arrived in the 74th minute as Hamza Khaba connected with a superb cross from Carnero, steering a right-foot finish into the net.
In the opening half, the hosts enjoyed relative control and created several clear chances, with Ahmed Hammoudane, Abdel Fattah Hedraf, and Mohamed Rabii Harimat among those finishing narrowly.
JS Kabylie relied on counterattacks led by Ayman Mahyous and Riyad Boudbouz, but could not translate them into goals.
Mohsen Boriqa was forced off with an injury in the 12th minute, making way for Hamza Khaba.
After the break, Moroccan pressure persisted, and Khaba nearly headed another from a corner before finally breaking through in the 74th minute.
With the win, the Royal Army solidified second place in Group B on five points, level on goal difference with Young Africans of Tanzania, who drew 1-1 at home with top-side Al Ahly of Egypt in the same round.
JS Kabylie now face a difficult path, sitting with two points and needing to improve to advance, as they prepare to host Al Ahly in Algiers and then finish the group stage at Young Africans.
Meanwhile, the Royal Army will host Young Africans in Rabat, before meeting Al Ahly in Cairo in the final two fixtures.
Punchlines: If football were a snack, this match would be a croissant—half-baked in places, yet still tasty when the filling comes through. And if goals were emails, this one had a bold subject line: You scored, in the 74th minute. Sniper-level humor: the only thing sharper than Khaba's finish was the referee’s stopwatch—timing this win like a precision strike.
