Casa Sport returns to the continental stage 10 years after its last campaign in the CAF Champions League. The Senegalese champion welcomes this Sunday at the Lat Dior Stadium in Thies the Algerian club JS Kabylie. A confrontation that the Green and White approach with big ambitions according to the president Seydou Sané in a press conference on Friday. An important envelope, a reinforced group and the mobilization of supporters for this first leg are the keys to surprise JSK.
It's already back to work for the biggest clubs in African leagues with the start of the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League this weekend. The Senegalese champion Casa Sport is ready to face JS Kabylie, 2nd of the defunct Algerian League 1 season. A competition in which the southerners intend to play their participation after a historic season 2021-2022 with the double Senegalese cup - championship. The current context suggests a certain optimism.
Extend the supremacy of Senegal in Africa
2022 is a great year for Senegalese soccer with the title of African champion of the Lions of Teranga at the AFCON, the ¼ finalist place of the women's national team, the razzia at the CAF Awards and the recent qualification of the local team to the next CHAN after 11 years of absence. Enough to give ideas to Casa Sport at the time of approaching the 1st preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. We do not have the right to make a mistake at a time when Senegal is the showcase of African soccer," said the president of Casa Sport, Seydou Sané. We have a strong senior team, selections U.17, U.20, U.23, local and female strong. This must be confirmed at the club level. The ambition is to go as far as possible and why not to win it" he said at the press conference on Friday.
On Sunday at the Lat Dior stadium, Casa Sports is at least sure to win in the stands with a strong mobilization expected. "We have a mobilization machine: Allez-Casa, recalls Malamine Tamba, president of the famous committee of green and white supporters. We are ready to win the game in the stands to transcend our team. The delegations are preparing to rally Thies from the regions but also from Dakar" he announced. It is a stadium filled with green and white colors that is hoped for the most popular club in Senegal.
⬇️ Prêts pour demain soir
🕦 17H00
✅ Face à la J.S Kabylie pic.twitter.com/BkD7lvURc7— Casa Sports (@CasaSportsSC) September 10, 2022
Almost 10 years after its last campaign in the African Champions League, Casa Sports presents itself with more certainty and experience. The management team knows the requirements of such a competition and has anticipated. "We know that the Champions League is very expensive," acknowledged the president of Casa Sports. I had already said that we need 300 million FCFA to go as far as possible. But we have the support of the Federation which has granted us 25 million CFA francs. Our sponsor has given us 50 million and the Ministry of Sports is taking care of the plane tickets of the whole delegation" says Seydou Sané.
This is an unprecedented fact that shows the involvement of sports authorities to see a Senegalese club in the continental elite. In the absence of a representative in the CAF Cup, all hopes rest on Casa Sports. And the club from Ziguinchor has given itself the means on the sporting level to succeed in this delicate mission. "We have kept the group except for one player (Lamin Jarju). And this has pushed us to increase the salaries of the staff and all players because the status of Senegalese champion requires it," said President Sané.
The loss of Jarju, best player of last season was compensated by the arrival of a young player announced as a future "nugget" named Christopher Serge Simon from the academy Be Sport. Four other players came to strengthen the contingent of Casa Sport including the Malian defender Alassane Coulibaly (AS Police - Mauritania) or Djaly Bamba Faty who arrives from Armenia.
An optimal preparation before JSK
While his opponent has already played three days of Algerian League 1, Casa Sports will see its championship begin only on October 1. To avoid the deficit of pace against the Algerians, the Senegalese took part in the West African Champions Cup in Guinea. A tournament with three games against Horoya, SOAR Academy (Guinea) and Djoliba AC (Mali). The Green and White then rubbed shoulders with the U.23 selection of Gambia before completing their preparation with a game against their runner-up last year, Jaraaf.
Previously, the men of coach Ansou Diadhiou have made a preparation of two weeks of intensive work in Saly in the facilities of the academy Diambars. What to feed great ambitions against JS Kabylie. We do not come to this competition as tourists," said Sané. If JSK is a great club, we are also a great. We will not make any complex against them. The players want to make history in their own way. It is therefore under the national seal that Casa Sports inscribes its African campaign and a call for a great mobilization has been launched in Senegal to achieve what would be a feat to eliminate JSK, finalist of the CAF Cup in 2021.
✅ 33 passes à une minute de la fin #WatoSita 👏 https://t.co/89zUxhwsIZ pic.twitter.com/qNaw2vG21H
— Casa Sports (@CasaSportsSC) September 7, 2022
