Champions League: AS FAR heads to Pretoria without Velud and Essouabi

Thursday 16th January 2025 03:19 PM

After qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2024-25, a feat that the club had not achieved for 37 years, theAS FAR will play a final match for the group stage, with the ambition of securing first place in group B. This Sunday, the Rabat club will cross swords with the Mamelodi Sundownswho is struggling with the Raja for the second qualifying ticket in the quarters.

Leader of group B with 9 points, theAS FAR could settle for a draw to formalize their qualification as first. The South Africans (2nd with 8 pts) also aim to snatch first place and will aim for three points to inherit an opponent within their reach.

The military delegation headed to Pretoria on Thursday, after a final training session at the Morocco. The team will have to play at Loftus Versfeld without its coach, the French Hubert Veludwho was successfully operated on Tuesday after rupturing his Achilles tendon. The AS FAR staff will also have to do without the central defender Hatim Essouabitouched during the previous match against Raja in Meknes and replaced before the end of the match. Essouabi will therefore be absent for three weeks, due to a strain in his left thigh.

The representative of Morocco is therefore called upon to brave these obstacles and seek at least a draw point, to consolidate his place at the top of the general ranking. A positive result of theAS FAR could also pave the way for the second representative of Morocco, the Raja of Casablancawho is waiting for a gift from the Military. Indeed, in the event of a victory for AS FAR this Sunday, RCA will have to win with a score of 4-0 against Maniema Union to qualify for the quarter-finals. As a reminder, the teammates ofAmine Zouhzouh have the best attacking line in Group B with 7 goals scored, as well as the best defensive line (3 goals conceded).

Peter Waweru on the whistle for the Mamelodi Sundowns-AS FAR match

The Confederation of African Football has named the Kenyan Peter Waweru Kamaku as referee of the match between AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns, this Sunday from 5 p.m. The same referee was strongly criticized by Miguel Cardoso, the current coach of Sundowns and former coach of Esperance de Tunis, during the quarter-finals of the 2024 Champions League against ASEC Mimosas last March. The referee also directed the first leg of the 2024 CAF Cup final, having pitted Zamalek against Berkane Renaissance last May.

Morocco