Maniema Union welcome Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca to Stade du TP Mazembe on Sunday in a pivotal CAF Confederation Cup Group B clash.
The Congolese side know they must make home advantage count in Lubumbashi’s 18,500-capacity cauldron if they are to stay in the qualification race.
Maniema arrive with mixed recent form in continental competition, having enjoyed strong home wins over Azam and Nairobi United but also suffering narrow defeats to North and Southern African heavyweights. They are organised in a 4-2-3-1 shape built on energy in midfield and width in attack, with creative sparks like Pitroipa and Mboma tasked with unsettling Wydad’s back line.
Wydad, meanwhile, travel in outstanding shape, unbeaten in 11 matches and on a six-game winning streak in all competitions. The Casablanca club have already beaten Maniema 1–0 in this group and also recorded confident victories over Azam and Nairobi United, underlining their status as favourites.
With attacking talents such as Nordin Amrabat, Hakim Ziyech and Wissam Ben Yedder in a fluid 4-3-3, Wydad will look to control the tempo and strike clinically on an artificial surface that holds few surprises for this experienced squad.
