Orlando Pirates defeat to RS Berkane still haunts Fadlu Davids

Davids will now get another bite at the Moroccan outfit with Simba set to face Berkane in the final of this year’s edition.

Simba beat Stellenbosch FC 1-0 on aggregate over two legs, while Berkane defeated Constantine 4-1 after two matches in the semi-finals.

Davids says he knows Berkane – and their coach Moin Chaabani – well.

“That match still haunts me, we beat Simba in the quarter-finals, we beat Al Ahly, then we got Berkane, we lost on penalties. So, Berkane is an improved side, we played against this coach last season we know him quite well,” Davids said.

“We know Constantine as well, in CAF football let’s not say Berkane, Constantine, but Berkane is one foot in the final but of course.

“Also, we’ve got four important league matches in a space of four weeks before we travel to Morocco or Algeria. It’s about our catch-up games now with two days match, two days match, so celebrate and have our day off and then focus on collecting our points to be able to catch up the 12 points that we are behind.”

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Despite the goalless draw at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, it was enough for Simba to progress, and Davids insists they were the better side overall.

“I’m proud of my players because in the entire CAF campaign, we taught them the basics because a lot of them haven’t played in this tournament before. What CAF football is about when you travel away from home and when you come home,” he added.

“We’ve managed to build ourselves up to still dominate away from home like we did with higher possession, 65 percent, better xG, 2.5 xG, more shots on target, only allowing the opponent, one, two shots on target.

“So, we build ourselves up to that so we can dominate in all aspects with the ball and today my team showed a different side to them. They showed a face of, if the going gets tough, we can fight.

“Then managed the game like I said before, in this CAF environment, away from home. Like I said, Stellenbosch got us to play the game they wanted and congratulations to them for reaching the semi-final.

“We have to cut the celebrations a little bit short because you don’t really wanna be celebrating getting into the final, I must try to win the trophy, then we can celebrate.”