USM Alger coach Lamine N'Diaye is relying on five experienced players—Oussama Benbot, Ibrahim Ben Zaza, Islam Merili, Haitham Loucif, and Saadi Radwani—as the team prepares for the CAF Confederation Cup final. The squad is commencing a short training camp today at the National Teams Preparation Center in Sidi Moussa. The camp's primary objective is to prepare the players physically, technically, and psychologically for the upcoming first leg of the final.
Veteran Core and Training Focus
Coach N'Diaye met with his players to emphasize the need to cease celebrations and concentrate on the upcoming match against Zamalek. The current training camp is scheduled to continue until Saturday, focusing on preparations for the final. In the 2022-2023 final, USM Alger secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg away against Young Africans in Dar es Salaam. N'Diaye is anticipated to field a lineup similar to the one that qualified for the final against Olympique Safi of Morocco.
Navigating Ineligibilities and Injuries
Coach N'Diaye will determine the starting lineup while accounting for the absence of Ashraf Abada and Imadeddine Azzizi, who are ineligible for continental competitions. Striker Hossam Eddine Gacha is also likely to miss the match due to a knee injury he sustained, which also prevented him from playing in the previous Thursday's Republic Cup final. Despite these challenges, Coach N'Diaye is considering minor changes to the starting lineup for the first leg against Zamalek.
Cameroonian player Chidi Malon will be available for central defense. The expected lineup includes Benbot in goal, with Dehiri, Chidi Malon, Radwani, and Mahrouz forming the defensive line. Draoui, Ben Zaza, and Tandjeng are anticipated to feature in midfield. Khalidi and Kamagate are expected to lead the attack. Likounza, Ben Ayad, and Boudjebla are considered key options for substitutions during the encounter.
Match Officials and Logistics
The first leg of the final is scheduled to be played on Saturday, May 16th, at Cairo International Stadium. However, other reports indicate the first leg will take place on Saturday, May 9th, at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki. The Confederation of African Football has appointed Mauritanian Dahane Beida as the referee for the first leg final. His assistant referees will be Angolan Gerson dos Santos and Cameroonian Elvis Ngue. Mauritanian Abdoul Aziz Bouh will serve as the fourth official for the match. Ghanaian Daniel Laryea has been designated as the VAR referee, with Mauritanian Babacar Sarr as his VAR assistant and Kenyan Dickens Mweembi Nyagowa as the second VAR assistant. Ugandan Harounah Mouanda was chosen as the general match supervisor, and Ethiopian Lydia Tafesse Abebe will supervise the referees.
Past Success and Future Ambitions
USM Alger's previous victory in the CAF Confederation Cup occurred in June 2023 against Tanzanian club Young Africans. The club's last cup win was specifically in the 2022-2023 season, also against Young Africans. In that final, USM Alger lost the second leg 1-0 at home at the '5 Juillet' Olympic Stadium but secured the overall tie on aggregate. These past achievements show the team's experience in continental finals.