History is on side of Supersport

21 November 2017 - 07:31 By By NICK SAID
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TP Mazembe players.
TP Mazembe players.
Image: STRINGER / AFP

Supersport United must come back from a 2-1 deficit against DR Congo side TP Mazembe in the home leg of their African Confederation Cup final on Saturday, but history provides plenty of examples of teams who have turned the tables to claim the trophy in the second game.

It has been the norm down the years for the side who play the second leg at home to lift the trophy, no matter what the first-leg score was - only four times in the past 14 years have the team who started at home won the tournament.

Sipho Mbule scored what could prove to be a vital away goal for Matsatsantsa in Lubumbashi on Sunday as Eric Tinkler's side also spurned a number of chances to claim the advantage going into the second leg at Atteridgeville Stadium on Saturday night.

Since the competition was first played in 2004, four sides have come back from a first- leg deficit to win the trophy, and only twice have a team that held the advantage after the first game gone on to win.

Seven finals were all square after the opening match.

Moroccan side FAR Rabat were the first team to overturn a first-leg deficit as they trailed Nigerian side Dolphins FC 1-0 in the 2005 decider, but roared back to claim a 3-0 success in the second game.

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