The result confirmed a 4-2 aggregate victory for the Moroccan giants, who secured a place in the group stage, while Samartex joined Nsoatreman in being knocked out of African competitions this season.
The Timber Boys, who had drawn 2-2 in the first leg in Accra, were hopeful of pulling off an upset, but Raja proved too strong at home. Marouane Zila opened the scoring just before halftime, giving the Green Eagles the lead. Samartex, under coach Nurudeen Amadu, fought hard but couldn’t find the equalizer needed to keep their continental dreams alive.
Raja sealed their victory in the 88th minute with a second goal from Naoufel Zerhouni, ending Samartex’s debut campaign in Africa’s premier club competition.
Despite the loss, Samartex remained optimistic about the lessons learned. In a statement on social media, the club said, “This experience, though disappointing, offers numerous lessons that we can use to improve and strengthen our performance in the future.”
Now, Samartex will focus on the Ghana Premier League, with two important matches against Bibiani Gold Stars and Medeama SC.
They will aim to defend their domestic title and work towards earning another opportunity to compete in Africa next season.