Dreams FC achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the semifinals of the CAF Confederation Cup following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Stade Malien in Kumasi.
The Ghana FA Cup champions entered the match at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday with a first-leg lead but faced a resilient challenge from their opponents.
The game began with Dreams FC showing early dominance, with Derrick Agyei’s fifth-minute effort denied by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for offside.
Despite their efforts, the first half ended without either team finding the back of the net. However, Stade Malien broke the deadlock after the break, with Yorro Diaby putting them ahead to level the aggregate score.
Yet, Dreams FC remained confident due to the away goal rule, maintaining their position to qualify for the semifinals.
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Manager Karim Zito’s strategic acumen came to the fore once again as he made a decisive substitution, bringing on Sylvester Simba in the 62nd minute for Sulemana Suhiyini.
Simba made an immediate impact, equalising in the 70th minute to restore Dreams FC’s aggregate advantage.
Dreams FC have done it! They're in the semis of the CAF Confederation Cup #3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/VYA0gG66Bt
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) April 7, 2024
Despite Stade Malien’s efforts to mount a comeback, Dreams FC held firm, securing a historic quarter-final victory and sealing their place in the semifinals.
The club now await the outcome of the tie between Future FC and Zamalek to determine their semifinal opponents, as they continue their impressive journey in the CAF Confederation Cup.