With the African Champions League crown gone with Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, the continents focus shifts to the CAF Confederations Cup finals first leg between TP Mazembe and Supersport United in Lubumbashi, DR Congo 19th Sunday.
The second leg will be staged at the Lucas “Masterpiece” Moripe Stadium, Pretoria a week later on Saturday 25th with the aggregate winner pocketing a tidy sum of $650,000 and a chance to play the CAF Super Cup against Wydad next year.
Mazembe are the defending champions having bagged the CAF’s second rate clubs championship for the first time in 2016 and are salivating for the 14th edition’s glory.
South Africa’s Supersport United on the other hand are challenging for their first gong and a first major trophy in Africa.
Mezambe edged Morocco’s FUS Rabat 1-0 on aggregate at the semi-final stage to sail through to the final; on the other hand Supersport dispatched Tunisia’s Club Africain 3-1 on aggregate to book the finals ticket.
The finalists met at the group stage with the first leg in Pretoria ending 0-0 with the return settling for a 2-2 draw at Stade Mazembe, the venue of the Sunday’s clash.
In the lead up to the big tie, Mazembe sharpened in Rabat, Morocco for two weeks before returning home to continue with the preparations.
While in Rabat, the DR Congo giants played three friendlies against local sides; winning once, losing once and drawing the other.
Yesterday, the coach Pamphine Mihayo’s side beat Moise Katumbi Academy side by Ben Malango’s brace in Kamalondo in a friendly.
The Ravens are five times African Champions and boast a vast experience in the continent.
Unlike Supersport who have been engaged in the domestic league “ABSA Premiership”, DR Congo’s “Linafoot” just recently kicked off and Mazembe have not played a single match and hence the reliance on friendlies to keep in shape.
Before the international break over the weekend, Supersport thumped Golden Arrows 3-0 for their third win in five outings. They are currently 11th in the league standings on ten points with five matches at hand.
Known as “Matsansantsa”, Supersport have within their ranks the tournament’s leading top scorer on ten goals Jeremy Brockie.
The New Zealand international was summoned for national duty ahead of the 2018 Russia World Cup qualifier away to Peru Thursday.
Supersport’s gaffer Eric Tinker is equally not new to the ragged continental football scene have led Orlando Pirates to the 2013 Confederations Cup runners up position.
The 47-year-old former midfielder led the team’s training today on an artificial turf to adapt to the conditions expected at the Stade Mazembe.
