Dicey CAF Cup duels this weekend
Dicey CAF Cup duels this weekend
Posted: 2008-08-12 14:46
Confederations Cup holders CS Sfaxien and reigning Africa champions, Etoile du Sahel will be involved in dicey duels in the opening day matches of the group phase of the current competition scheduled for this weekend.
Sfaxien will face Angolan side Interclube at the Taieb Mhiri Stadium in Sfax in a Group A clash on Saturday, while Etoile hosts two-time African champions Asante Kotoko in another crunching duel at the Olympique Stadium in Sousse on Sunday in a Group B tie.
The two Tunisians, winners of the continent’s only two-club championship, CAF-MTN Champions League and Confederation Cup are seeking to end another successive season with continental silverware and the journey begins this weekend.
Sfaxien face their second successive opponent from Southern Africa in Interclube after brushing past South African side Platinum Stars and are highly favoured for a positive result, but underrating the Angolans will be at their own peril.
Interclube produced a stunning performance in their last match in Cameroon to edge past local side Mount Cameroon and will be hoping to return with a convincing result from their second trip up north this term after a 3-1 loss to Egyptian giants, Zamalek hugely affected their exit from the CAF-MTN Champions League.
In Sousse, it will be a battle of former African champions as Kotoko, losing finalists in the maiden edition of the competition in 2004 will seek to launch their campaign on a high.
After their shocking and painful exit from the much prestigious Champions League, Etoile is also bent on consoling their fans with at least the Confederations Cup, a competition they won in 2006.
Etoile boasts an impressive record of being one of the few African sides to have won every continental club competition and have a compact side dominated by the members of last year’s triumph except for Ghanaian-born midfielder Moussa Narry, who has joined French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre.
For Kotoko, there is a bitter-sweet feeling in their camp as their inspirational captain Emmanuel Osei Kuffour is unavailable for the tie due to suspension, while head coach Bashir Hayford makes a return after two months.
Hayford, who led Kotoko to their 21st Ghanaian league title in May, was bereaved following the passing of his wife, an instance which compelled his deputy, Johnson Smith to hold the fort against Al-Ittihad in both legs.
After surviving the scare of the Libyan champions to qualify 4-3 on aggregate, Jerry Asare, Operations Director of Kotoko believes the sky will be the limit.
“I know it won’t be easy against Etoile du Sahel, but I am very sure Kotoko won’t disappoint,” he declared while grieving over the absence of Kuffour.
The “Porcupine Warriors” have beefed up their squad with the inclusion of five players namely Hana Giwah, Ofosu Appiah, Mark Sekyere, Kwadwo Poku and Abdul Ganiyu, but only Appiah and Sekyere are available for this weekend’s clash.
Egyptian debutants, Haras El-Hodoud welcomes another Tunisian side Club Africain in all Mahgrebian affair in the other Group A clash at the Haras El-Hodoud Stadium on Sunday.
Africain, a former African champion is making a return to continental action after a decade’s absence.
In the other Group B clash, Sudanese side El-Merrikh sorts things out with Algerian champions, J.S. Kabylie at the Merrikh Stadium in Omdurman on Saturday.
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