“We feel great and positive about the semi-final game this evening,” says Arthur Zwane ahead of the Champions League game against Wydad Athletic this evening. “We believe we’ve prepared well, and we are happy with how things have gone since we arrived on Thursday morning.”

Coach Arthur Zwane will be on the bench for Amakhosi together with Dillon Sheppard in this first semi-final match against Wydad Casablanca as Coach Stuart Baxter awaits his work permit. The Englishman will watch the game from the stands at the Mohammed V Stadium in Morroco.

“We are not distracted because we know that we are here to play football and get positive results,” adds Zwane. “it’s important for us to go back home knowing where we stand in terms of the results when we play the second semi-final. We need to give it our best and get a positive result from the game.

“Everyone is rearing to go, and we are all proud that we have made it this far. We would be even happier if we could all the way to the finals and represent Amakhosi supporters and the country at large in this prestigious continental competition.”

With South Africa experiencing their winter season, Morocco is the opposite as they are at the start of their summer season. Coach Arthur Zwane believes his team will cope in the coastal city of Casablanca.

“One of the key things that we knew would be important was adaptation – that’s why we travelled a little earlier than normal,” says Zwane as he concludes. “The weather is not that different from what we have in Cape Town and Durban, and the boys seem to have adjusted and acclimatised well when we saw them at training in the last two days. We look forward to a competitive game.”

CAF has introduced VAR technology for the game that will kick off at 21:00 (SA Time) at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca. Details of the viewing/streaming will be available on our social media platforms.