فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Berkane: Moroccan football club Renaissance Sportive de Berkane is set to host Tanzania’s Simba SC in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final on Saturday, at 8:00 PM local time, at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane. The RSB, recently crowned Moroccan champions for the first time in their history, aims to secure a favorable result to approach the crucial second leg, scheduled for next week in Tanzania, from a strong position. The match will be broadcast live on beIN Sport.
RS Berkane: CAF Final Experience and Third Title Ambitions
This marks RS Berkane’s sixth final appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup, having won the title twice in 2020 and 2022, and losing two other finals in 2019 and 2024. These statistics highlight the club’s consistent strong presence in this continental competition. The “Orange Boys” seek to replicate their semi-final success, where they achieved a dominant 4-0 victory over Algerian club CS Constantine in the first leg, before losing 1-0 in the return match.
RS Berkane’s Tunisian coach, Mouaine Chaabani, relies on his team’s cohesion, tactical discipline, and winning spirit to achieve a historic double this season (domestic league and CAF Confederation Cup).
Simba SC: A Resilient Opponent with Continental Experience and Upset Hopes
For their part, Tanzania’s Simba SC secured their spot in the final by defeating South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC, with a 1-0 victory in the first leg and a goalless draw in the return. As the sole Moroccan football representative still in African competitions this season – especially after Wydad and Raja’s exits from the CAF Champions League, whose final will feature South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Egypt’s Pyramids – RS Berkane faces a significant challenge in containing a formidable Tanzanian side that will not arrive in Berkane as an easy victim.
Simba SC, who reached the CAF Cup final in 1993, has distinguished itself on the continental stage in recent years, demonstrating a regular presence in both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. The club also boasts an impressive domestic record, having won the Tanzanian league title 22 times and the Tanzanian Cup 6 times, making them the second most decorated club in the country after Young Africans.
The Berkane side is well aware that a substantial home victory would greatly ease their task in the second leg in Tanzania, preventing any unpleasant surprises that could mar their magnificent season, especially given that Simba has not suffered any home defeats in the CAF Confederation Cup this season.
Coaches’ Statements: Caution and Optimism
In press statements ahead of the match, coach Mouaine Chaabani emphasized: “Finals are always difficult. We must win at home in the first leg and secure a positive result.” He added: “I hope all players will be at their peak performance to get closer to the title, knowing that the second leg will be difficult in Tanzania.”
Meanwhile, Simba SC’s South African coach, Fadlu Davids, who previously served as an assistant to German Josef Zinnbauer when he coached Raja Casablanca, acknowledged that RS Berkane is a very strong team that he knows well from previous encounters with the “Greens.” He noted that his team is preparing thoroughly for the final, both tactically and mentally.
