Tinkler guided Pirates to the final of the same competition three years ago, while the former Bafana Bafana midfielder also served as Roger de Sa's assistant when Bucs reached the Champions League final in 2013.
The match has been moved back a day to Sunday at Lucas Moripe Stadium due to 'technical problems that delayed the Tunisian delegation's trip to South Africa', according to a CAF statement.
Phala, who completed a last-gasp brace in the dramatic quarter-final win over Zambia's Zesco United, feels it is crucial the hosts keep a clean sheet.
“There is a great amount of positive energy in the camp and it has even rubbed off onto the technical staff. We made a great comeback playing away and that is a major confidence booster for us as a team.
“We are coming up against the best four teams that remain in the competition so it will be even tougher. We need to ensure that we keep a clean sheet at home because that is very important in continental competitions. Not conceding is the ideal situation but going further and winning at home will be a major boost for us.”