Pirates, Berkane to battle for Caf Confed Cup glory

Orlando Pirates will go head-to-head with RS Berkane in the 2021-22 Caf Confederation Cup final at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Nigeria on Friday.

Catch the match live on SuperSport (GSL2 / PSL / VR4A) at 9pm CAT

MATCH BACKGROUND

Pirates became the first South African club to reach four continental finals after defeating Libya's Al Ahli Tripoli 2-1 on aggregate in a semifinal tie and they are now looking to create more history by winning Africa's secondary club tournament.

Having been the first Southern Hemisphere club to have won the Caf Champions League in 1995, the Buccaneers are hoping to become South Africa's first-ever winners of the Confederation Cup under their co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids, having lost to Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel in the 2015 final.

However, their Moroccan opponents, Berkane, will be no pushovers having gained African pedigree in the last few years as this is their third appearance in the Confederation Cup final. They thumped DR Congolese giants Mazembe 4-1 on aggregate in a semifinal tie.

The Oranges, who are under the guidance of experienced DR Congolese coach Florent Ibenge, reached back-to-back finals between 2019 and 2020 - losing to Egyptian giants Zamalek in what was their first-ever continental final, before defeating Pyramids of Egypt to claim their maiden Caf trophy in the following year.

Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe will take charge of the match in Uyo which is the south-east region of Nigeria on Friday night. The winner of this eagerly anticipated encounter will qualify for the 2022 Caf Super Cup where they would face this season's Caf Champions League winners.

PATH TO THE FINAL

Pirates began their 2021-22 campaign by edging out Congo-Brazzaville side CSMD Diables Noirs 1-0 on aggregate in the second preliminary round having been given a bye in the first round. Bucs were then handed a walkover win in the playoff round after Liberia's LPRC Oilers withdrew from the tournament having lost 2-0 in the first-leg clash at home in Monrovia.

The Buccaneers went on to show their supremacy in Group B which featured Algeria's JS Saoura, Libyan side Al Ittihad and Eswatini champions Royal Leopards. Bucs recorded four wins, one draw and one defeat and they progressed to the quarterfinals as group winners.

In the quarterfinals, the Soweto giants were forced to dig deep as they drew 1-1 with Tanzanian champions Simba SC, but they won 4-3 on aggregate. Pirates then reached the final after defeating Al Ahli 2-0 in Libya, before losing 1-0 at home in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Berkane proved too strong for Tunisian club US Ben Guerdane as they won 5-0 on aggregate in the second preliminary round having also been given a bye in the first round. They then edged out a stubborn Rwandan side APR 2-1 on aggregate in the playoff round.

The Oranges were pitted against Simba, Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas and Nigerien outfit Union Sportive de la Gendarmerie Nationale (USGN) in Group D. The North African side finished top of the group ahead of second-placed Simba on head-to-head goal difference as they were level on points (10).

A tightly contested quarterfinal tie against Egyptian side Al Masry then followed with Berkane winning on the away goals rule following a 2-2 draw on aggregate. The Oranges then caused an upset by eliminating five-time African champions Mazembe in the semifinals - losing 1-0 away before claiming an emphatic 4-1 win at home.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando Pirates - Bandile Shandu

The flying right-back-come-winger has been a revelation in his debut season in the Confederation Cup and he has a knack for popping up in goal-scoring positions.

Shandu has netted four goals and only Victorien Adebayor, who is on loan at USGN from Danish side HB Koge, has scored more goals than the Pirates star in this season's tournament with six goals.

The 27-year-old's pace and sharp movement are likely to create problems for the Berkane defence on the night.

RS Berkane - Youssef El Fahli

The versatile forward has hit form at the right time for the Oranges having been Mazembe's chief tormentor in the semifinal second-leg encounter and he grabbed a brace.

El Fahli has scored four goals in his last six matches in the Confederation Cup including the winning goal against Al Masry in the quarterfinal second-leg match in Morocco.

The former Hassania Agadir player is a lethal striker who will be ready to sniff a goal out of nothing in sheer predatory fashion against Pirates.

WHAT ARE THE TEAMS SAYING

Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto

"When I joined Pirates my aim was to come here and win silverware for the team. This is my second year. Last season we won the MTN8," Hotto said.

"This year, everything is gone... the league, the Nedbank Cup and the MTN8. What's there for us now is the Confederation Cup, so we've to go all out and bring the cup home. I promise to go an extra mile,''

"The task is on Friday, so we will definitely make our fans happy on Friday by lifting the Confederation Cup."

RS Berkane midfielder Lamine Camara

"First to win this competition, the Caf Confederation Cup. A final is not played, it must be won. We will put in all the efforts from our side to win this trophy," Camara said.

"We will face a great team, a big name in African football, Orlando Pirates. The advantage for us is that this is a team that plays good football. And also, it will be on neutral ground.

"The best team will win and we are lucky to have players with this experience in our squad. This is my first international experience, it would be wonderful to complete it with a continental title."

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS

This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between Pirates and Berkane.