It will be a confrontation between two of the continent’s heavyweights when Raja Casablanca host AS Vita on Sunday.
Both sides have spent several years without tasting continental glory and will want to fully embrace this opportunity to conquer Africa.
The 2003 Caf Cup (now merged with the Caf Cup Winners’ Cup to become the Confederation Cup) was Raja’s last crown in Africa.
For AS Vita, it has been 45 years since they won anything in Africa and they now face the prospect of ending their trophy drought.
Since lifting the 1973 African Cup of Champions Clubs (now Caf Champions League), Vita reached the Champions League final four years ago but finished as runners-up.
Next Match
| Game | Raja Casablanca v AS Vita |
| Date | Sunday, November 25 |
| Time | 19:00 GMT |
TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch
The game will be shown live on SuperSport 10. You can also catch live updates on Goal.com .
| Live Match Centre | TV Channel |
|---|---|
| Goal.com | SS10 |
Squads & Team News
With striker Mahmoud Benhalib having scored 11 goals so far this season, Raja Casablanca have enough arsenal to deliver them the Confederation Cup.
Although he has failed to score in Raja’s last three Confederation Cup matches, the 22-year-old forward remains a major worry for the AS Vita defence.
Also instrumental this season is Zakaria Hadraf who has been coming in from the midfield with important goals.
His last contribution was a goal in the 2-1 semifinal, second leg win over Enyimba.
Striker Mouhssine Lajour is another player who has been weighing in with crucial goals for the North Africans.
Raja’s Congolese midfielder Lema Mabidi will be facing his compatriots, having prominently featured for the Moroccans in this campaign.
Probable Raja Casablanca XI: Zniti, Achchakir, Jbira, Banoun, Boutayeb, Niasse, Mabidi, Hadraf, Sanad Al-Warfali, Benhalib, Lajour
This week AS Vita were concerned about defender Botuli Bompunga, who injured his groin during Tuesday’s training session.
His availability for the match is still shrouded by a cloud of uncertainty.
Jean-Marc Makusu is the chief marksman for Vita, with the DR Congo international forward managing 10 goals so far in the competition.
Emomo Ngoyi who came in with a brace in the 4-0 demolition of Al Masry in the second leg of the semifinal is another player whom Vita can rely on for goals.
Making crucial assists for Vita has been Fabrice Ngoma together with Djuma Shabani to form a creative hub which Makusu has exploited well.
Probable Esperance XI: Lukong, Bangala, Munganga, Kupa, Ngonda, Shabani, Ngoyi, Ngoma, Ngudikama, Makusu, Moloko
Match Preview
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It will be the third time this season that the two sides meet in this competition after playing each other in the group stages twice.
Vita beat Raja 2-0 at home in August with Ngoma and Makusu on target, while the other leg ended goalless in Casablanca in May.
This could make Raja wary of Vita, although this would be a different game altogether.
Interestingly, this is Vita’s fourth trip to Morocco in Caf competitions this season alone.
The Congolese giants first visited Difaa El Jadida in the Caf Champions League before being demoted to the Confederation Cup where they were pooled in the same group with Raja.
They also visited RSB Berkane, who they booted out of the competition at the quarter-final stage.
In securing their passage to the final, Vita had to deal with another North African opponent, eliminating Egyptian side Al Masry in the semifinals.
