CAF Confederation Cup Play-off Preview
ZANACO Vs RAJA CASABLANCA
Heroes Stadium
15:00hrs
ZANACO relegated from the Champions League gets into the pre group Stages of the CAF Confederation Cup and starts the first leg at home hosting Raja Casablanca. The winners of the Confederation Cup first round were drawn against the losers of the Champions League first round, with the teams from the Confederation Cup hosting the second leg. That is how we find ourselves here and the 16 winners of the play-off round will advance to the group stage.
Raja are way off behind in the race for Botola pro league in Morrocco and currently lie fourth after week 23 having lost 6, drawn 6 and won 10. In the last round of the CAF Confederation Cup First Round they defeated Nouadhibou of Mauritania to qualify for this date with the 2016 Zambian champions . Raja has not won in the last in the last four games losing FUS Rabat, drawing to Olympic Safi and losing to Hassania Agadir . They also drew with Itihad Tanger. Their last win in the league was on 25th March against Kawkad Marakechi where they won via a 3-0 score line.
It would interest readers that Raja has won more CAF trophies than any other Club in Algeria and hence holds that massive experience playing on the African Continent than ZANACO . In their cabinet, Raja has three Champions League , One Super Cup and one CAF Cup. There last crown of the Champions League was in 1999.
Fast forward to 7th April 2018, ZANACO walks on the picth well balanced to take on Raja after what is believed to be complacency against Mbabane Swallows in the last round of the Champions League. Numba Mumamba has had time to try different combinations in the league before this enciounterv which he won convingly against Lusaka Dynamos and kind of struggled against Forest Rangers. He also beat Green Eagles in that order.
He has a good chance of redeeming himself with the great players signed in preparation of this season. The Squad Numbe has was meant for the Campions League and hence a lot and me inclusive expect a win and I think he will get it. That’s the only way ZANACO will qualify to the group stages. Winning at home. Zanaco has never lost a CAF game played at Heroes Stadium.
My prediction: ZANACO 3-1 Raja Casablanca
************************
Other Games in this round :
This weekend’s action will see AS Vita Club of Democratic Republic of the Congo welcoming Republic of the Congo’s CS La Mancha on a weekend that we should have front liners to make it to the Group Stages.
Ethiopian side Saint George will entertain Republic of the Congo Club CARA Brazzaville who eliminated Sudanese’s Al Ahly while Al-Hilal of Sudan will face Nigeria’s Akwa United on Sunday afternoon
SuperSport United of South Africa will be away in Kenya where Gor Mahia will be eagerly waiting for them in what will be expected to be the most entertaining game of the day of Sunday.
Other matches include UD Songo of Mozambique will be welcoming Sudan’s Al-Hilal Al-Ubayyid with Plateau United another Nigerian team hosting USM Alger of Algeria.
The rest of the matches across Africa in the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend are as below:
Aduana Stars (Ghana) Vs Fosa Juniors (Madagascar)
Young Africans (Tanzania) Vs Welayta Dicha (Ethiopia)
Génération Foot (Senegal) Vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) Vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Williamsville AC (Ivory Coast) Vs Deportivo Niefang (Equatorial Guinea)
MFM (Nigeria) Vs Djoliba (Mali)
