ASPL 2000 Face Durban City in CAF Confederation Cup Away Tie
The Port Louis club travel to South Africa's Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday, targeting another upset in the CAF Confederation Cup second round.
Mauritian football club ASPL 2000 are hoping to pull off another continental shock as they face South African side Durban City FC in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second round, to be played at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban this Sunday.
The Port Louis-based club arrived in South Africa on Friday 16 October following a final tactical session at the Saint-Francois-Xavier ground back home. Spirits in the camp are reportedly high after a confidence-boosting run in the earlier round.
ASPL 2000 had already turned heads in African football circles by eliminating Botswana's Jwaneng Galaxy in the previous round. After a 1-1 draw at home in Mauritius, they sealed the tie with a 1-0 victory on Botswanan soil, a result that announced them as credible contenders at this stage of the competition.
The CAF Confederation Cup, organised by the Confederation of African Football, is the second-tier club competition on the continent, equivalent to UEFA's Europa League in European football. It represents one of the most prestigious stages a Mauritian club has ever reached.
Standing in their way is a Durban City FC side in the middle of a turbulent transition. The South Africans came into the tournament with strong credentials, having won the Nedbank Cup, one of South Africa's most prestigious domestic knockout trophies, and having knocked out Burundian side Rukinzo FC in the previous round with wins of 1-0 and 2-1.
However, Durban City changed head coach on 8 October, replacing Khalil Ben Youssef with Eric Tinkler, a former South African international midfielder and a member of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations winning squad. Tinkler's debut in charge ended in a 2-1 home defeat to AmaZulu, and the uncertainty around the new coaching setup could play into ASPL 2000's hands.
Coach Clarel Beeharry will be looking for his side to be disciplined, compact and clinical if they are to bring a positive result back to Mauritius for the second leg.
The Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, holds around 56,000 spectators and will present an entirely different atmosphere from what Mauritian players typically encounter domestically. Managing the occasion and executing a clear tactical plan will be key for the islanders.
What this means: A strong result in Durban would put ASPL 2000 within touching distance of the CAF Confederation Cup group stage, a milestone that would be historic for Mauritian club football and would raise the profile of the sport on the island significantly.
Source: ION News
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CAF Confederation Cup and why does it matter for Mauritius?β
The CAF Confederation Cup is the second-tier club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football, open to clubs from across the continent. For Mauritius, reaching the second round is already a significant achievement. ASPL 2000, based in Port Louis, are one of the country's top clubs and their progress in this edition represents one of the deepest runs a Mauritian side has made in African club competition.
How did ASPL 2000 qualify for the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup?β
ASPL 2000 eliminated Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana in the previous round. The tie finished 1-1 in Mauritius before the Port Louis club won 1-0 away in Botswana, going through on aggregate and setting up the tie against Durban City FC.
Where is the ASPL 2000 vs Durban City match being played?β
The first leg is being played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa. The stadium, which has a capacity of around 56,000, was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is one of the largest and most recognisable venues on the continent.
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