Former Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer and his assistant coach Fadlu Davids have made history in Morocco’s top division.
Zinnbauer won the Moroccan league without losing a single game, well supported by Davids, who had previously played for Pirates.
Zinnbauer and Davids led Moroccan powerhouse Raja Casablanca to the league title, and they did it in style. They defeated MC Oudja 3-0 and barely broke a sweat. However, it took some time for them to break the deadlock, with the lead coming late in the first half. Finally, it was Abdellah Khafifi who took advantage of some weak defending to score.
ZINNBAUER AND DAVIDS BEAT NABI’S TO THE TITLE WITH RAJA!
That seemed to signify a shift in Raja’s tempo, as he now appeared eager to pick up the pace. This came with due rewards, as Yousri Bouzok extended their lead from the penalty spot just before halftime. The score was 2-0 at the interval. While competitors for the title, AS FAR, coached by projected incoming Kaizer Chiefs Nasreddine Nabi, remained tied at 0-0. Their mission was to face FUS Rabat at home.
In the second half, Raja showed no signs of giving up their lead, especially with the title on the line. Despite Oudja’s improved performance, Zinnbauer’s team was given the opportunity to seal the tie. They did it through the same guy, Bouzok, who converted his second penalty of the game. That sealed the Green Mamba’s triumph, making the German tactician and South African assistant unstoppable.
To summarize Zinnbauer and Davids’ remarkable season, Raja recorded 21 wins and nine draws. They had also gone on an impressive 12-game winning streak. This is what catapulted them to the top, defeating Nabi’s AS FAR team, which finished second with only three losses.
Unforgettable season for the former Pirates duo.
Most notably, Zinnbauer has only lost once since joining Raja. Aside from Davids, he brought Darian Wilken, a South African and former Pirates first-team coach, to the club. Another South African, Mueez Kajee, is the chief performance analyst.
Zinnbauer, Davids, and Wilken also achieved MTN8 glory at Pirates.
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