RS Berkane will look to turn around their CAF Champions League semifinal tie when they host fellow Moroccan club ASFAR at the Berkane Municipal Stadium for the second-leg clash on Saturday night. Kick-off is at 9pm CAT.
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FORM
The teams’ first-leg meeting at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium last Saturday was a tense and hard-fought one, though ultimately the Royal Armed Forces club triumphed 2-0 on the back of second-half strikes from Ahmed Hammoudan and Khalid Ait Ouarkhane – setting them on course for a return to the final for the first time since their only Champions League triumph way back in 1985.
However, the Oranges are canny operators on the continental scene, having won three CAF Confederation Cup titles and one CAF Super Cup since the start of the 2020s, and they will back themselves to unsettle Al Zaeem and open up the chance of making their first appearance in the Champions League final.
RS Berkane will need to be more assertive and aggressive in the return game, but their passionate support in Northeastern Morocco will create a hostile atmosphere inside the intimate Berkane Municipal Stadium, which has a capacity of 15 000.
WHAT THE TEAMS ARE SAYING:
RS Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani is not giving up on his team’s chances of qualifying for the final:
“There's still the second leg, and we will try our best to overturn this result. We will give it our all. The [first leg] match was difficult. We had an excellent first half, and the same in the second, but unfortunately we lost possession twice in midfield. We know that ASFAR is a team that capitalises on opponents' mistakes.”
ASFAR coach Alexandre Santos was happy with his team’s showing, but insists that nothing is decided yet:
“Now everything is still open, of course. Even if the result is positive, the message remains the same: this is just the first half. We have scored two goals, but the opponent has the quality to score in the return leg.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
RS Berkane – Ayoub Khairi
If the Oranges are to turn this semifinal tie on its head, they will need an outstanding performance from captain and central midfielder Ayoub Khairi. The 26-year-old will need to show leadership and determination as RS Berkane seek to overturn a two-goal deficit and keep alive their dream of winning the Champions League for the first time.
ASFAR – Ahmed Hammoudan
Winger Ahmed Hammoudan was a constant threat to RS Berkane throughout the first leg, and scored the key opening goal just before the hour mark. If he can find the back of the net again in the return game and chalk up an away goal for ASFAR, then a Champions League final appearance for the first time in 41 years will surely be theirs.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
In head-to-head stats, Berkane and ASFAR have met in 29 matches across all competitions dating back as far as 2012, when RSB returned to the Moroccan top flight after decades in the wilderness. Al Zaeem have claimed 10 wins compared to nine for the Oranges, while 10 games have been drawn.