GoldStars Suffer 7-0 Aggregate Defeat as JS Kabylie End CAF Champions League Dream
Bibiani GoldStars’ maiden voyage in the CAF Champions League came to a painful end after a resounding 5-0 defeat to Algerian powerhouse JS Kabylie in Tizi Ouzou on Sunday, confirming a 7-0 aggregate elimination in the preliminary round.
Having lost 2-0 in the first leg in Accra, the Ghanaian champions entered the return fixture needing a miracle to advance. Instead, their evening unraveled early when goalkeeper Emmanuel Kobi inadvertently bundled the ball into his own net just seven minutes in.
Kabylie grew in confidence and tightened their grip on the tie. Ryad Boudebouz doubled the advantage with a composed finish in the 29th minute, before Mehdi Merghem extended the lead midway through the second half. GoldStars’ challenge deteriorated further on the hour mark when defender Emmanuel Ankrah received his marching orders, leaving the visitors to battle with ten men.
The Algerians capitalised ruthlessly. Lahlou Akhrib added a fourth only minutes after the red card, and Oualid Maliki completed the scoring with a stoppage-time strike, sealing an emphatic progression for Kabylie.
For GoldStars, the heavy defeat marks a sobering conclusion to their debut on the continental stage. With their Champions League campaign cut short, the Miners must now turn their attention back to the Ghana Premier League, where defending their domestic crown will be their next big task.
