Historic moment for Mauritanian football - Lopez

Head coach of Nouadhibou FC, Aritz Lopez says their participation in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League is a historic feat for the country and the club.

The Mauritanian side are the first club from the nation to qualify for the group stages of the competition since inception and despite their 3-0 loss to 2016 champions, Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend, Lopez believes they can turn things around when they face Egyptian side, Pyramids at home on Saturday evening.

“Saturday's meeting will certainly be difficult. This is the first time that a Mauritanian club has participated in this competition. It is a historic moment for the fans of Mauritanian football and the founders of the club who started this project 24 years ago. We will face a very strong team , with a good coach and experienced international players. But I have confidence in my players. We have a good team and tomorrow will be a good opportunity to continue making history”, said Lopez.

Midfielder, El Hassen Teguedi said the team would not let the pressure of a result get to them but would do everything possible to get a result.

“Saturday's match is very important for us players and for the club in general. This competition is one of the most prestigious on the continent. It’s a dream we had and we worked hard to achieve it. We are certainly against a good team which has players accustomed to this type of competition, but we will do everything to secure points at home", said Teguedi.

Kick off at the Capital Stadium is at 16h00 GMT.