Eight of the best teams in Africa came on a collision course in the 31st edition of the CAHB African Super Cup, with a Final Four system implemented in both the men’s and the women’s competitions, as powerhouses from around the continent met in Oran, Algeria, to fight for the big prizes.

With only four sides participating in the men’s competition, it was always going to be an entertaining competition and the favourites made it to the final, where Egyptian powerhouses Al-Ahly and Zamalek challenged for the trophy.

In the first match of the first day in Oran, Zamalek duly delivered an impressive win against DR Congo’s Jeunesse Sportive de Kinshasa, 41:29, announcing themselves as a title challenger, before fellow Egyptian side, Al-Ahly, the winner of the previous two editions of the CAHB African Super Cup, securing a 38:27 win against Congo’s BMC.

Therefore, an all-Egyptian final between Zamalek and Al-Ahly was on the cards for the seventh edition in a row, with Zamalek previously winning in 2018, 2019 and 2021, while Al-Ahly secured the title in 2017, 2022 and 2023.

After the first half played in Oran, on Tuesday, 16 April, there was no separating the two teams, with the score tied, 10:10, and a second half for the ages between the two huge rivals. But with Player of the Match, Abd Elrahman Ali Sayed, in superb form, Al-Ahly took control in the second half and managed the three-peat, with a 23:21 win.

This was the fourth title won by Al-Ahly in the competition, trailing only MC Alger, who won the competition nine times, and Zamalek, seven-time winners, also becoming the first team to win the competition three times since Zamalek in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Al-Ahly have now qualified for the 2024 IHF Men’s Super Globe, taking part for the third time in a row in the competition which gathers the best teams in the world.

The women’s competition saw two Angolan sides – Primeiro de Agosto and Petro Atletico de Luanda – lock horns once again for the title, after they secured important wins in their semi-finals.

Petro Atletico de Luanda, the reigning champions, had a tough challenge on their hands, winning by only three goals against Egyptian side, Al-Ahly, while Primeiro de Agosto ensured there is an all-Angolan final for the fourth edition in a row, with a 33:24 win against Congo’s DGSP.

Primeiro’s six-edition winning streak between 2015 and 2022 has been stopped last year by Petro Atletico, but this time around, they avenged that loss, with a stronger second half display, after a 13:13 draw at the break.

With a 31:28 win, inspired by Neganga Vilma Pegado, the Player of the Match, Primeiro took their seventh title in the last eight editions, while Petro Atletico remain the most decorated team in history, with 19 titles.