Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer was not happy with his team's loss to Enyimba. (Picture: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix)
Orlando Pirates opponents Raja Casablanca have landed in the country ahead of their Caf Confederation Cup quarter-final first leg clash at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday.
The North African outfit departed Morocco on Thursday via Doha, Qatar, before flying over to OR Tambo in Johannesburg.
“Safely landed at O. R. Tambo International Airport,” the club tweeted on their official Twitter website.
However, the team will face the Buccaneers with coach Saad Chebbi’s squad hindered by injuries.
According to reports in Morocco, Abd El-Ilah Al-Hafizi, Sanad Al-Werfalli and Mohamed Spoul will miss out on the Bucs tie due to injuries, while Mohsen Metwally is absent for technical reasons.
Meanwhile, veteran and captain of the team Metwally’s absence is said to have been a shock to many in the North African country. The 35-year old attacking midfielder has played three games in the Confederation Cup while making 16 appearances across all competitions for the Green Eagles.
With Metwally out of the squad for this match, goalkeeper Anas Zniti who is the vice-captain of the club is expected to lead the club against the Buccaneers.
Metwally’s experienced will certainly be missed by Raja, but they have a couple of players who are able to carry the team.
DR Congo international Ben Malango will surelly be one of the players Bucs defenders will have to keep an eye on. The striker joined the team in 2019 after spending almost three-years at TP Mazembe in his native country.
Malango has played all of the six group stage games and scored two goals in the process. Another danger Raja posses is talented winger Soufiane Rahimi, a 24-year old former Moroccan Under-23 national team and current senior national team player.
The winger has 10 goals to his name and eight assists so far this season in all competitions.
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