RS Berkane midfielder Mamadou Lamine Camara has declared his side fully prepared ahead of the decisive second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final against Simba SC, with the Moroccan club holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.
Following a dominant display in Berkane, where goals from Camara and Oussama Lamlaoui gave the home side a commanding lead, the Moroccan outfit now travel to Zanzibar with their sights set on lifting a third CAF Confederation Cup title.
The return fixture, scheduled to be played at the Amaan Stadium, marks the final step in a campaign that has seen RS Berkane once again establish themselves as a force in African football.
Speaking after the first leg, Camara exuded confidence in his team’s ability to finish the job on Tanzanian soil.
“We know it’s going to be a tough match,” he said. “We’re expecting anything there. But all the players are ready. We’re going there to win. We’re not going to try to draw. We’re going to come out and score goals. We’re not going to lose this match.”
The Senegalese international played a pivotal role in the first-leg triumph, scoring the opener in just the eighth minute. Rising highest at the near post, Camara powered home a well-delivered corner from Hamza El Moussaoui to set the tone for an assertive performance by the hosts.
The second goal came through Oussama Lamlaoui, whose strike doubled the advantage and gave Berkane a vital cushion heading into the return leg.
Camara believes RS Berkane’s form away from home will be a decisive factor in the final outcome.
“If you look at our season, we’re stronger away than at home,” he added. “We’re so confident.”
That confidence will be crucial as the team heads into a potentially hostile environment. Although the second leg was originally intended to be held at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam — Simba’s home ground ,it was later moved to Zanzibar due to concerns over pitch conditions caused by Tanzania’s rainy season.
While the neutral venue could reduce Simba’s home advantage, the pressure remains on Berkane to maintain their lead under unfamiliar conditions.
Despite Simba SC’s passionate fan base and the significance of the occasion for the Tanzanian club, RS Berkane appear unfazed.
The Moroccan side has developed a reputation for managing high-stakes encounters with composure and tactical discipline, qualities that have served them well throughout their continental campaigns.
For Camara and his teammates, the objective is clear: stay focused, execute the game plan, and secure the title. With experience, depth, and a two-goal lead in hand, RS Berkane will look to impose themselves early in the match and deny Simba any momentum.
Should they succeed, it would mark a third CAF Confederation Cup crown for the Moroccan club, following previous triumphs in 2020 and 2022.
For Camara, lifting the trophy would be both a personal and collective triumph — and judging by his words, RS Berkane have no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.
