Cairo (AFP)
The Algerian Union of the Capital holds the hopes of the Arab teams to preserve the title of the African Football Confederation Cup, the “African Confederation”, when it visits Young Africans of Tanzania, which seeks to strip the northern clubs, on Sunday in the first leg of the final round at the “Benjamin Mkapa” stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Arab clubs, especially Moroccan clubs, dominated in the past five seasons, as Moroccan Raja was crowned twice “2018 and 2021”, and its compatriot Nahdet Berkane twice also “2020 and 2022”, and Egyptian Zamalek once “2019”, while the last team from outside the North region was Mazembe. Democratic Congolese «2016 and 2017».
The Soustara team hopes to become the first Algerian team to win the championship title in its modern form, which began in 2004, as it enters the second continental final in its history, after the Champions League final in 2015, when it finished with a description of Mazembe.
His coach, Abdelhak Ben Sheikha, is also looking forward to winning his second African title, after the African Super Cup, last season, with Nahdet Berkane on penalties, at the expense of Wydad Athletic.
Ben Sheikha confirmed the determination to win the title, especially since the second leg will be in Algiers next Saturday, and he said in a press interview: “Any other result than winning the title is a failure.”
The 59-year-old Algerian coach continued, “Qualifying for the final round gives the impression that the team is strong and can win the title.” He added, “We prepared ourselves for all the details of this competition.”
He added, “The final was found so that we can play it and win it at the same time,” indicating that the team is ready for all possibilities: “We have not won anything yet. The Royal Army match (in the quarter-finals) is an old page that we have turned. If we do not win this cup, then that means We haven’t achieved anything.”
Regarding the preparations for the first leg, he said: “We focused on our capabilities and strengths. Life goes on and the players are confident in the coach and in themselves. We should believe in our abilities, then employ the appropriate tactical plan and technical matters that allow us to return with a positive result.”
Ben Sheikha has all the weapons necessary to accomplish the task of crowning the continental title, especially with the presence of goalkeeper Osama bin Bout, who starred remarkably in all stages of the tournament, and in front of him Noureddine Belaid and Saadi Al-Radwani, and in the middle Ibrahim bin Zaza, and in the attack international star Ayman Mahyous and Botswana Tumisang Oriboni.
Ben Sheikha will be in front of a purely Arab confrontation, as the Tanzanian team is supervised by Tunisian coach Nasreddine Al-Nabi, who is looking forward to leading the team to the first African title in its history and the history of East African clubs since 1989, via Sudanese Mars in the Cup Winners’ Cup competition.
“Wananshi” is going into the first leg of the final round with great spirits, and seems confident of scoring a comfortable victory that will facilitate his mission away from home next Saturday, according to coach Al-Nabi, who saw that “the team has the appropriate strategy and mentality to accomplish the task.”
Al-Nabi said in televised statements: “It is possible that we consider Young Africans’ qualification to the final as a surprise to us, as it is the team’s first final in its history in the continental championships.” But with the development of performance and the seriousness shown by the players, we reached that point.
The Tunisian coach revealed, “We are preparing for a strong match against the USMA. It is a respected team and has a capable coach. We have always known Algeria with strength and spirit in football practice.”
He pointed out that the Algerian team “is distinguished by its high group and combative spirit, although the team is not in its best season technically.”
The Tanzanian team has a strong group of players led by striker Viston Mayele from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who scored seven goals for the team in the tournament, in addition to his compatriot Twisila Kisenda, Ugandan goalkeeper Washington Arube and Zambian Kennedy Musonda.
#Union #Capital #Arab #identity #African #Confederation