Esperance Sportive de Tunis players in action during a practice session at the Al Gharafa Stadium in Doha, ahead of today’s CAF Super Cup final against Raja Casablanca of Morocco. Picture : Mohamed Farag
Continental giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Raja Casablanca will battle for the CAF Super Cup glory today when the one-off clash takes place at Al Gharafa Stadium.
It will be the first time that the hugely followed football spectacle will be played outside the African continent.
The kick-off time is set for 7:00pm.
Everything is at stake for the two champion sides. Esperance, the 2018 CAF Champions League winners will be attempting to win the title for the second time having beaten DC Motema Pembe (Zaire) in the 1995 final.
The Tunisian giants have lost two other finals in 1999 and 2012.
Raja Casablanca, the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup winners, on the other hand, won the title in 2000 when they beat Africa Sports (Ivory Coast) in the final played at the Stade Mohammed V in the heart of the city of Casablanca, Morocco.
Esperance today will welcome back three key players from injury.
Veteran defender Sameh Derbali and midfielder Ghilane Chalali have recovered from injuries and have made the trip to Doha.
Also, travelling to Qatar is goalkeeper Rami Jridi, back from an injury sustained in a league match against CS Sfaxien nearly two weeks ago.
With Esperance celebrating their centenary this year, Jridi is eyeing to memorably cap the season by delivering the CAF Super Cup.
“We hope to win this continental title to strengthen our title account in an outstanding year in the history of the club,” Jridi said ahead of the final.
Having last won the CAF Super Cup in 1995, Esperance are bidding for a second-ever title after also finishing as runners-up in 1999 and 2012.
Esperance assistant coach Mejdi Traoui said: “It will not be an easy match. It will be a tough match and we need to focus 100 percent on this continental title. The finals have to be won regardless of the performances and require a lot of experience from the players of Esperance.”
He added: “We need to be very focused on the game and we will try to win the trophy, especially as the team celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and we look forward to winning as many titles as possible to make the fans happy.”
African football fans - who have arrived in Doha by the thousands - will be eagerly waiting for the start of the final.
Meanwhile the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the Total CAF Super Cup 2019 final has completed preparations to stage the match.
Khalid Al Kuwari, Marketing Director, Abdullah Al Hammadi, Event Services Director, Jassim Al Jassim, Head of Venue Operation, and Fahad Bu Hindi, Captain, Ministry of Interior, announced the event details at a press conference.
The LOC urged the ticket holders to arrive early at Thani bin Jassim Stadium to avoid congestion near the entry gates.
It was announced that the gates will be opened at 3:30pm today whereas family activities will commence two hours prior.
Tunisian artist Ahmed Sharif and Moroccan artist Hatem Amro will also perform for spectators attending the match.
