Raja Club Athletic’s hopes of closing the gap at the top of the Botola Pro Inwi standings suffered a major blow on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Renaissance Berkane at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane.
The match began with Raja applying early pressure. Their efforts were rewarded in the 23rd minute when midfielder Zakaria El Wardi found the back of the net, giving the visitors a deserved lead. Raja continued to control the tempo for much of the first half, looking the more likely side to score again.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically after the break. Renaissance Berkane emerged with renewed vigor and began to dominate proceedings. Their persistence paid off in the 70th minute. A defensive lapse from Raja allowed Berkane’s Youssef Zghoudi to pounce, slotting home the equalizer to send the home fans into raptures.
The draw leaves Raja in third place with 41 points, now four points behind leaders Wydad Athletic Club, who have a game in hand. This result is a significant boost for Wydad’s title ambitions. Meanwhile, Renaissance Berkane consolidates their position in the upper half of the table with the hard-earned point.
The match was not without controversy. Video footage circulating after the game appears to show a clear handball by a Renaissance Berkane defender inside his own penalty area during the first half, an incident which was not penalized by the match officials.
