Benchikha: Fate is in our hands

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Jun 03, 2023. 11:04

USM Alger head coach Abdelhak Benchikha has urged his players to seize the opportunity and make history against Young Africans in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final on Saturday night.

L’Ittihad have the upper hand going into the clash at the 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers after securing a 2-1 win in the first leg last weekend when Aymen Mahious and Islam Merili gave them two precious away goals in Dar es Salaam.

Benchikha’s side have a perfect record on home soil in the competition this season, winning all seven games while conceding just two goals and keeping five clean sheets in the process.

Benchikha acknowledges fate is in their hands as USMA look to lift their first piece of silverware on the continent, having come up just short in 2015 when they lost to TP Mazembe in the CAF Champions League final.

“We have prepared well tactically and mentally. The whole team is ready for the final and we are ready to do our duty. Fate is in our hands and we are the ones to decide whether to make the game easy or difficult,” he said in the pre-match press conference.

“We are one step away from creating history for the club and we cannot miss this opportunity. We are playing at our fortress, a stadium that no one can escape its wrath. This is not arrogance, but strength for us.

“We will be playing in front of our home fans and they will give us the extra energy. We have the determination and great will to do well.”