Malick Daf is determined to keep Jaraaf’s CAF Cup campaign on track despite their opening defeat to ASEC Mimosas.
The Medinois coach remains calm following the 2-0 loss to the Ivorian side in their Group C opener and is focused on securing a crucial victory when they face USM Alger this Sunday at the Abdoulaye-Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.
In an interview with Cheikh Demba Ndiaye of Dsports, Daf reflected on the defeat to ASEC Mimosas and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back.
We lost our first match (0-2) against ASEC Mimosas of Abidjan.
I think it’s not the end of the world,” Daf said. “It’s true that USM Alger had a convincing 6-0 win over Orapa United of Botswana, but each game is different.
We know we lost a match we should not have lost, but that’s football.
We will pick ourselves up, prepare well, and we hope to do everything possible to win the next match, Inch’Allah.”
The loss to ASEC, while disappointing, is not something Daf is overly concerned about.
It’s not easy to lose the first match, but we know we were up against a great ASEC Mimosas team on their home ground, he added.
We made a few mistakes, but the players gave their all. Now, we’re focusing on our next match against USM Alger.
We’re aware of the stakes, and we understand that the task ahead won’t be easy. But we know nothing is impossible.
We must win to stay in the race for qualification.
Daf’s side will face a tough challenge in USM Alger, a team he respects greatly.
USM Alger is a very great team, but we’re ready for this challenge.
We’ve studied their matches carefully, and we know their strengths and weaknesses.
We are fully aware of the level of competition in Africa, where mistakes are punished severely.
With humility, we are working hard to prepare for this match. Inshallah, we will do everything possible to secure a win.
The former Senegal U-20 coach emphasized the importance of Sunday’s match for Jaraaf’s ambitions.
For us, there are no other options.
We must win to reposition ourselves in the group.
We are confident that we can do it, and we will give our best to achieve this goal, God willing.
Looking ahead, Daf expressed optimism about his team’s potential.
Jaraaf is one of the best teams in Africa, and we’ve been growing in stature in recent years.
We are continuing to improve, and with time, we will continue to make our mark.
We pray that the team is in top form on Sunday, and we look forward to showing the strength and spirit of Jaraaf.
