A week after achieving its first success in the CAF Cup last Sunday, Jaraaf is back on deck for the 5th day of the competition. The people of Medina receive the Asec Mimosas this Sunday, January 12 at 4 p.m. A crucial meeting since qualification for the quarter-finals is at stake.
A six-point duel! By receiving Asec Mimosas this Sunday during the 5th day of the CAF Cup (Confederation Cup), Jaraaf is condemned to win. The Medina club is 3rd with 5 points in 4 days, tied with Asec, 2nd. The two teams are therefore tied on points. A victory for the Ivorians would also be crippling for the Green and White who would be eliminated in the first round.
Jaraaf can, however, benefit from the confidence gained last weekend against Orapa United (1-0) at the Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Diamniadio. “It’s a final. ASEC is a great team and this match will not be easy. If we want to get through the second round, we absolutely have to win,” said Malick Daf, coach of Jaraaf, just after the success against the Botswanans last Sunday.
A revenge to take, a story to (re)write
For Jaraaf, it is therefore imperative to win this duel against the Ivorians. Furthermore, this could be revenge for the first leg since Asec won 2-0 on the first day. In addition, the Medinese are seeking to return to the quarter-finals of the CAF Cup that they reached in 2020-2021, eliminated by the Cameroonians Coton Sport.
To win, Jaraaf will nevertheless have to be sharper offensively. The Green and White had to wait until the 98th minute to make the difference against Orapa last Sunday, after 24 shots attempted. Moreover, it was their one and only goal in the CAF Cup this season after four days.
Whoever it is, Malick Daf assures that his team is ready. “Since the start of the group stage, I have continued to make my players understand that we are in a group where there is ASEC Abidjan and USMA. Two teams who are used to playing major competitions in Africa. I had the chance to play both teams when I was at the Port Autonome de Dakar. We shared the same hen. Now I can say that Jaraaf has grown. In football, anything can happen. In the first leg, we did not do poorly despite the defeat. We lost on details. Tomorrow, it will be another match in another context,” he underlines in a pre-match press conference. Tune in at 4 p.m. GMT to find out if Jaraaf has learned the lessons of the first leg.
Oumar Boubacar NDONGO
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