Video – CAF Confed Cup: Raja Casablanca thrash Aduana 6-0

Ghana Premier League champions, Aduana Stars have suffered a crushing end to their CAF Confederation Cup losing 0-6 away to Raja Casablanca in their final Group A game on Wednesday.

Six goals – the first scored on the third minute and the final recorded on the 82nd minute, – from Raja deprived Aduana any possible chance of salvaging what was left of their pride, after failing to qualify for the next round when they lost their final home game 0-2 to ASEC Mimosas on August 19.

A brace from Mouchine Iajour and Mahmoud Benhalib, as well as goals from Zakaria Hadarf and Soufiane Rahimi, handed the Morocco side the top spot from Group A and qualification into the money zone.

Aduana Stars had staged a remarkable recovery to hold Raja Casablanca to a 3-3 home draw in the first leg at Dormaa, but there was no such reprieve as the Moroccan side took complete charge and banged in the goals.

Right from the start, Raja, the only side to have held Aduana to a draw at the Nana Agyeman Badu Park at Dormaa, got their first goal through Iajour on the third minute, and by the 15th minute, the attacker had made it 2-0.

The Dormaa-based side looked hapless as Hadraf (30th), Rahimi (33rd) and Benhalib (67th and 82nd) all scored to put victory beyond doubt, to send their teeming fans, who thronged the stadium into a frenzy with celebration.

With the final results in the group, Raja and AS Vita from the Democratic Republic of Congo made the cut, while Cote d’Ivoire’s ASEC and Aduana who finished third and fourth respectively, have been eliminated. ASEC won 2-0 in their final game against AS Vita in Abidjan.

Indeed, the die was cast for Aduana when they lost their final home game 0-2 to ASEC, and their preparation for the final game was anything but impressive.

Tension brewed in camp as Japanese coach, Kenichi Yatsuhashi objected to management’s decision to travel with only 14 players, as well as he indicating that he would leave the club after the final game. The Japanese was brought in from Inter Allies to replace Coach Yusif Abubakar, in a bid to save the continental dream.

Abubakar guided Aduana to their GPL title, but under him, they dropped out of the Champions League into the Confed Cup, forcing management to bring on the Japanese in a desperate bid to do well in the Confed Cup.

However, that change did not yield the desired results.