TP Mazembe boss Pamphile Mihayo is seeking to write history by winning the CAF Super Cup as coach having bagged it previously as a player and an assistant coach respectively.
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Mihayo’s valid dreams could come to life later today when the DR Congo outfit takes on Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the competition’s 2018 edition at Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco.
“Personally, the CAF Super Cup means a lot and I would like to win it as a coach, I want to make history with this trophy that I won as a player and as an assistant coach,” Mihayo said.
The 41-year-old former Mazembe midfielder won the competition contested between the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup winners in 2010 and 2011 as a player.
And later on after hanging his boots, Mihayo tasted his first victory in the CAF interclub competitions curtain raiser in the 2016 edition as deputy coach to Frenchman Hubert Velud.
He followed it up with a runners-up finish in the 2017 competition which they lost to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mihayo admits pressure on his charges due to high expectations after winning the domestic league and the Confederations Cup last year but, the former Arsenal FC trialist is upbeat the tactics they will deploy against the Moroccans will carry the day.
“Wydad has a good history at the continental level and has an experienced squad which is a source of players for the Morocco national team, but we will devise a strategy to counter their play to achieve the desired result.
“Our preparations have been in good order towards the match and we are looking forward to victory,” Mihayo added.
As the Ravens will be angling for a fourth title, Wydad will be going for their first to atone for two past misses in 1992 and 2003.
Wydad’s new coach Fourzi Benzarti who is barely a month old on the job is upbeat his team is quickly adapting to his attacking style of football and will be ready to deliver victory.
The experienced Tunisian gaffer succeeded the 2017 Champions League winning coach Hussein Amotta who was shown the door for poor domestic form.
“My objective has always been to play an offensive game and tomorrow will be no different.
“I have tried to impose my style on our previous games, and we will play a balanced game from defense to attack.
“The players are ready and I have tasked them to do their best to ensure victory against TP Mazembe,” the 68-year-old 1994 Champions winner with Esperance du Tunis said.
Benzarti was the coach of Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia when they lost 2-1 to Mazembe in the 2016 Super at Stade Mazembe, Lubumbashi, DR Congo and today’s meet offers him rare opportunity revenge.
The game will see introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the first time on African soil.
Zambia’s FIFA referee Janny Sikazwe will take charge of the match and will be assisted by Jerson Emiliano Dos Santos of Angola and Egypt’s Gehad Gerisha.
Malang Diedhiou of Senegal will be the VAR, Mahdi Abid of Algeria (VAR 2) and Kenya’s Aden Marwa Range (AVAR).
The winner will pocket $100,000 with the runners-up taking home $75,000.
