ACL 2005 (1 Viewer)

[Chxta]

Nigerian champions Dolphin FC face a crossroads this weekend, as they meet Asec Abidjan in one of eight African champions League third-round, second-leg ties.

Dolphin take a 2-0 lead from the first leg to the match at Abidjan's Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium and are on the verge of knocking out one of the traditional pre-tournament favourites.

The Port Harcourt club have come from virtually nowhere in recent years, winning the FA Cup in Nigeria in 2001 while still a lower league team.

They won promotion to the premier league in 2002 and within two seasons were crowned champions.

They now find themselves on the verge of making the group stages of the continent's biggest club competition.

The weekend's aggregate winners are guaranteed a handsome share of the financial spoils which comes to those that qualify for the last eight of the tournament.

Asec have always been tough competitors in the past, winning the trophy in 1998.

But their club is currently in crisis with strained relations between its powerful supporters and the team's French coach Patrick Liewig, who has been criticised for his tactics.

Angry about the pressure being put on him by the fans Liewig said: "I plan for the team and work for the team, not for the supporters."

The Ivory Coast could see both representatives go out this weekend, as Africa Sports play away against Raja Casablanca on Saturday.

Africa were held to a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg.

Nigerian side Enyimba
Champions Enyimba of Nigeria are taking on Zambia's Red Arrows.

Reigning champions Enyimba are seeking to win the Champions League for an unprecedented third time and should have little difficulty in qualifying for the last eight.

The Nigerian side face Red Arrows, the Zambian army side, in Lusaka.

Having scored twice in the last 10 minutes of the first leg, Enyimba have given themselves a comfortable margin for Saturday's match.

The winner of the tie between Ajax Cape Town of South Africa and Guinea's Fello Star Labe guarantees at least one newcomer in the last eight.

Both teams are making their Champions League debuts this year.

Ajax have a 2-0 lead from the first leg and should be strong enough to hold out for the aggregate win in Conakry on Sunday.

Fello Star are something of a fairytale story in Guinea but are disadvantaged by the cancellation of the domestic league in the West African country and a lack of proper regular competition.

Esperance of Tunisia have a formidable 4-0 lead over Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Saturday's second leg at Rustenburg and even Chiefs are writing off their own chances of a miraculous comeback.

The club's website, in previewing the match at the Olympia stadium, said: "It is almost a foregone conclusion that Chiefs will bow out of Africa on Saturday."

Etoile Sahel, last year's Champions League runners-up, need to put a Tunisian league setback behind them to overcome a one-goal deficit against Morocco's Royal Armed Forces.

Egypt's Zamalek also seek a home win over Angola's AS Aviacao in Cairo.

 

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[Chxta]

Enyimba of Nigeria remain on course for their third consecutive African title after beating Zambia's Red Arrow in Lusaka on Saturday.

The 6-1 win gave the 'People's Elephant', as Enyimba are known, a 9-1 aggregate win.

Arrows opened the scoring in the 4th minute through a header from Abraham Mwamba, who latched onto a cross from Dammy Hangunyu.

But the reigning African champions equalised in the 18th minute through Prince Olomu, who capitalised on an error made by Red Arrows captain Patrick Kaoma.

Obediah Ifeanyi put Enyimba into the lead in the 30th minute, after pouncing on the ball that went astray after Arrows defenders fumbled in the box.

Ghanaian striker Joetex Frimpong sealed Enyimba's third in the 60th minute, with Solomon David getting a brace in the 65th and 67th minutes.

Enyimba's last goal arrived in the 81st minute through Obediah who scored from a corner.

Brightwell Banda, coach of Red Arrows, told BBC Sport it was an 'embarrassing result' for the side, as they will now fight for a place in the Group stages of the Confederation Cup.

Enyimba chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu told BBC Sport that Saturday's win has shown that his team is capable of getting away victories and has confirmed their superiority over the Zambians.

"I am quite happy that our boys lived up to expectations," Anyansi-Agwu said.

"I expected this result when we were leaving Nigeria. Arrows are new comers who don't have anything at stake.

"The only thing they had at stake was to beat the reigning African champions but that is not possible."

In the Confederation Cup, Bamboutos of Cameroon have qualified for the fourth round, after beating Algeria's Moloudia Oran 1-0 in Douala.

The Central Africans went through on the away goals rule, after losing 2-1 in the first-leg.

Gabon's FC 105 also made it to the fourth round, after a 2-0 home win over Libya's Ittihad also enabled them to go through, after a 3-3 aggregate, on away goals.

Egypt's Arab Contractors join both teams in the next stage, after a resounding 3-0 home win over Sudan's Merriekh gave them a 6-1 aggregate triumph.

 

[Chxta]

Tunisian giants Esperance have qualified for the group phase of the African Champions League, despite a 2-1 away defeat to South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.

Leading 4-0 from the first leg a fortnight ago, Esperance's quality showed against an overawed Chiefs team, who only gained a measure of respectability with a last-gasp winner.

The game at the Olympia stadium in Rustenburg, some 200 kilometres north of Johannesburg, attracted a sizeable crowd.

Esperance's Brazil-born striker Marcos dos Santos had the ball in Chiefs' net after just three minutes.

But it was ruled offside by the Angolan referee Bernardo Colembi.

Santos' effort was the only real attempt in the first half and it took over an hour before the first legitimate goal was scored.

Veteran John Moshoeu, who will be 40 at the end of the year, hit home from close range to give the home fans something to cheer about.

He might have been awarded a penalty soon after, when another drive was handled by a Tunisian defender. But Colembi waved play on.

Obinna Nwaneri, Esperance's Nigerian defender, set up a spectacular equaliser in the 76th minute with a chip over the top of the Chiefs defence.

Dos Santos tipped it over goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez and into the net.

Substitute Simphiwe Mbambo's long-range drive in the final minute gave Chiefs victory but it was not enough to avoid a 2-5 loss on aggregate.

 

[Chxta]

Egypt's Ahly were held 2-2 at home by USMA of Algeria but qualify for the Champions League group stages 3-2 on aggregate.

Ahly, who failed to reach the last eight in 2004, qualified as a result of their 1-0 win in Algeria.

Against the run of play, USMA's Hocine Achiou opened scoring in the 42nd minute.

But the Egyptians equalised on the stroke of half time through Emad El Nahas.

Ten minutes into the second half, Emad Meteib, the top scorer in the Egyptian league, put his side ahead.

With time running out, it appeared the 2001 African Champions League winners were on course for a win but the Algerians were awarded a penalty in the 94th minute.

Mohamed Hamdoud converted the spot kick but Ahly's fans were relieved that their 1-0 win in the first-leg earned them passage to the group stages.

USMA will now play either AS Marsa of Tunisia or Stella Abidjan of the Ivory Coast to see who goes through to the group stages of the Confederation Cup.

 

[Dan]

So is this the african champions leauge? Who is the Madrid of it?

 

[Chxta]

Enyimba of Nigeria IMO, 2 straight titles and gunning for a third.

In the Nigerian League they've won the title 3 out of the last 4, and are currently 5 points clear with a game in hand (refer to my Nigerian league thread regularly for that one).

That team is devastating. 6-1! Away! In Africa!

 

[Chxta]

Six former winners of the Champions League qualified for the group phase of the competition on Sunday, raising prospects of the strongest line-up since its 1997 launch.

Egyptian club Zamalek, who have been champions a record five times, defeated AS Aviacao of Angola 2-0 in Cairo on Sunday to qualify 3-1 on aggregate.

The home side secured their victory thanks to a 23rd minute spot kick converted by Wael El Qabbani with Abdel Haleem Aly sealing the victory in the 60th minute.

Former Africa champions ASEC of Ivory Coast defeated Nigerian side Dolphin 2-0 in Abidjan on Sunday to qualify for the group stages of Champions League.

The victory left the aggregate scores level at 2-2 but the home side went ahead to win 5-3 on penalties.

The Ivorians opened the scoring in the 8th minute thanks to a strike by Vincent de Paul Die-Foney.

They doubled their lead through Alhassane Koivogui in the 66th minute.

In Sunday's clash of the debutants, South Africa's Ajax Cape Town managed to qualify despite losing 2-0 to Fello Star Labe of Guinea.

The visitors reached the fourth round after winning 3-2 on penalties with the aggregate scores level at 2-2.

Enyimba of Nigeria remain on course for their third consecutive African title after beating Zambia's Red Arrow in Lusaka on Saturday.

The 6-1 win gave the 'People's Elephant', as Enyimba are known, a 9-1 aggregate win.

Arrows opened the scoring in the 4th minute through a header from Abraham Mwamba, who latched onto a cross from Dammy Hangunyu.

But the reigning African champions rallied and equalised in the 18th minute through Prince Olomu with Obediah Ifeanyi getting Enyimba in the lead before half-time.

Second half goals from Ghanaian striker Joetex Frimpong, Obediah and a brace from Solomon David secured the Nigerian win.

Also on Saturday, 1997 champions Esperance of Tunisia reached the group stage despite a 2-1 away defeat to South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs.

Leading 4-0 from the first leg a fortnight ago, the Tunisian 'Blood and Golds' qualified 5-2 on aggregate.

Their compatriots Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, also reached the group phase as they beat FAR Rabat of Morocco 2-0.

Last year's losing finalists qualify 2-1 on aggregate.

The Tunisians opened the scoring in the 19th minute through a penalty converted by Zoubier Baya with Kandia Traore scoring the second goal in the 73rd minute.

In another game on Saturday, former African champions, Raja Casablanca of Morocco also reached the group stage of the competition after defeating Ivorian side Africa Sports 1-0.

The home side qualified 2-1 on aggregate, thanks to a strike by Radouane al-Haimer in injury time.

Ahly of Egypt who boast a proud Champions League finals record, winning three, on Friday reached the group stage with a 3-2 aggregate win over USMA of Algeria.

The Egyptians, who failed to reach the last eight in 2004, qualified as a result of their 1-0 win in Algeria.

There is consolation for the losers as they take part in the Confederation Cup play-offs.

 

[Chxta]

Title holders Enyimba were handed two tough north African opponents in their African Champions League group at the draw in Cairo on Saturday, pitted against Al Ahly of Egypt and Morocco's Raja Casablanca in group B.

There will be a potential explosive all-Tunisian clash in the other group where Esperance and Etoile Sahel are paired together.

Both the Egyptian and Moroccan outfits are among the four teams in Africa this year with Al Ahly decisive in winning their domestic championship with an unbeaten run and Raja on course to defend their title in Morocco.

But Enyimba's confident chairman Felix Anyansi declared his side were still confident of a record-breaking third successive title.

"It is a tough draw but then any draw we would have had would have been tough," he told the BBC.

"Our team is a relatively new one, we got rid of the complacent players but we are unbeaten in the premier league and this is what makes us confident."

The other team in group B is the South African newcomers Ajax Amsterdam.

In group B, Zamalek and ASEC Abidjan play the two Tunisian sides.

Esperance and Etoile share a bitter rivalry, evidence by the fact that Etoile, despite being top of the Tunisian league standings at the time, fired coach Ammar Souayeh after Esperance beat them on post-match penalties in a Tunisian Cup tie.

Enyimba and Etoile, who played in last year's final, were the two seeded sides at the draw, which was conducted by legendary Egyptian goalkeeper Ahmed Shoubeir.



Group A
Al Ahly (Egypt)
Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
Enyimba (Nigeria)
Ajax Cape Town (South Africa)


Group B
ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Zamalek (Egypt)
Esperance (Tunisia)
Etoile Sahel (Tunisia)

 

[Freddy]

GO AHLY......I Believe we can pass from this group....

AHLY...AHLY

 

[Chxta]

Title-holders Enyimba of Nigeria return home for their first match at Aba in the group phase of this year’s MTN CAF Champions League, but face arguably their toughest opponent in continental competition to date.

Enyimba outplayed Ajax Cape Town away last month but returned from South Africa with just a single point after a 1-1 tie in the opening Group A match.

Now they face the in form Egyptian champions Al Ahli, who take a 32-match unbeaten run to Nigeria.

Manuel José’s side have not lost a competitive game for the last year, their last defeat coming in an Egyptian Cup tie in June 2004 at the hands of Arab Contractors.

Since, Al Ahli conquered the entire Egyptian league season undefeated and have been undefeated in five matches in the MTN CAF Champions League this year too.

Enyimba’s meeting with Al Ahli could potentially revive memories of their surprise home defeat at the hands of Africa Sports of the Ivory Coast last year when their unusually impenetrable fortress at Aba was breeched.

Al Ahli were the only winners in the first weekend’s action in the group phase last month when they beat Raja Casablanca 1-0 in Cairo, courtesy of a stunning long-range free kick from Mohamed Shawki.

Raja have since suffered a further setback with the resignation of their coach Henri Stambouli at the start of the week.

The French coach has taken up a lucrative offer in the United Arab Emirates, leaving Raja rudderless for Saturday’s visit from Ajax Cape Town.

The inexperienced Cape Town club fear, however, they might be subject to the back lash of Raja’s torment in the match at the Mohammed V sports complex.

Zamalek and Esperance are the two favourites in group B and home advantage at the weekend gives them a chance to go to the top of the standings.

Zamalek host Etoile Sahel of Tunisia in Cairo on Sunday, preceded by Saturday’s meeting between Esperance and ASEC Abidjan.

It is the third trip in six years by the Ivorians to Tunisia, having lost both previous encounters against Esperance, also in the group stages of the MTN CAF Champions League.

Esperance will welcome back striker Ali Zitouni, who was the top goal scorer in last year’s competition. He has returned from a loan spell with Dubai club Al Ahli, where ironically he recently played in the Arab Champions League.


This Weekend’s Champions League Fixtures

Group A:
# 9 July 2005, Casablanca
Raja vs. Ajax Cape Town

# 10 July 2005, Aba
Enyimba vs. Al Ahli

Group B:
# 9 July 2005, Tunis
Esprance vs. ASEC Mimosas

# 10 July 2005, Cairo
Zamalek vs. Etoile Sahel

 

[Chxta]

As the Champions League reaches the halfway stage this weekend, Egypt's Ahly are the only team to have registered a win so far.

The remaining seven teams in the two groups are all still seeking their first three points.

Ahly, who top Group A having won both their games, host South Africa's Ajax Cape Town in Cairo on Friday.

Meanwhile, defending champions Enyimba of Nigeria travel to Morocco to play bottom side Raja Casablanca on Saturday in the other Group A game.

Raja's new Romanian coach Alexandre Moldovan will be hoping his good fortune continues after he led the team to Morocco's Throne Cup last week, with a win over Olympique Khouribga in his first game in charge.

But Moldovan knows that Raja, who have just one point from their two matches, must beat Enyimba if they are to reach the last four of the competition.

The Moroccans will be without key midfielder Hicham Aboucherouane who joined French club Lille on a one-year loan deal on Thursday.

Ahly know that a third win against Ajax Cape Town would put them on the verge of qualifying for the semi-finals.

The Cairo club face a young side who are the only newcomers to the last eight.

And Ahly's assistant coach Hossam El-Badry is confident of a win: "We are looking forward to winning this game.

"Winning two matches against the strongest two teams in the group Raja Casablanca and the defending champions Eniymba has given the team more confidence.

"But we need to concentrate more on the game in order to claim the victory.

"We have been following the team of Ajax and we won't underestimate them, they have high spirits, good players, good tactics and haven't lost so far.

"We want to win the African championship since the winning team will mean qaulifying for the World Club Championship in Japan and it will mean a lot to become the first Egyptian team to play at that event."

The unheralded South African side have surprised with two draws in the group to date and now believe they have the potential for an upset.

"We are going there to win," said Ajax coach Gordon Igesund this week. "It's a massive task but we are going to be positive in our approach."

In Group B on Sunday, the Ivory Coast's Asec Mimosas host Tunisia's Etoile Sahel while their counterparts Esperance play Zamalek in Cairo.

All four teams are tied on two points apiece after each side has drawn both its games.

Another new coach who will be hoping for a good start is the Bosnian Mehmet Bazdarevic, who recently signed a one-year contract with last year's runners-up Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.

Bazdarevic will get his first look at his team in difficult circumstances in the match in Abidjan against Asec Mimosas.

The Tunisians have Nigerian striker Emeka Opara back after a six-month injury lay-off but will be without the suspended duo of Chaker Zouaghi and Mejdi Traoui.

Zamalek's German coach Theo Bucker knows that his side are undergoing a period of rebuilding.

" We had a bad season last year and we're almost starting from zero this year," he told BBC Sport.

"We are focusing now on mental preparation more than physical preparation because that takes place in normal daily training sessions.

"We're trying to concentrate on our strength and power but still considering the other side as well."

And Bucker believes that Group B is the stronger of the two.

"None of the teams have won or lost, this proves that it is a strong group and the teams are very close.

"We're leading by goals which means we have the upper hand.

"We are not unhappy with that, but we will try to change that situation."

The reaction of the Zamalek fans on Sunday will be interesting after they were banned from the teams' training sessions, which they are normally allowed to attend.

The ban comes after some supporters verbally abused the players during and after a recent 1-0 loss to lower division Gomhoriet Shebine in a friendly.

 

[Chxta]

Egypt's Ahly kept up their 100 percent record in the group phase of the African Champions League with a 2-0 win over Ajax Cape Town in Cairo on Friday.

The win over the South Africans ensures a maximum nine points from three matches and puts them on the verge of reaching the semi-finals.

It also means that the Egyptian champions 13-month unbeaten run extends to 34 competitive matches.

Ahmed El Sayed and Emad Motaeb grabbed the goals for Ahly.

El Sayed gave the hosts the lead in the eighth minute when he fired home after Ajax goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs failed to hold onto a shot.

Josephs gave away a penalty in the 34th minute after bringing down Mohamed Barakat and was fortune to receive only a yellow card from the referee.

The Ajax goalkeeper saved the spot kick and kept his side in the match until five minutes into stoppage time when Emad Motaeb scored a second for Ahly.

Abdellatif Jrindou's late goal saw 10-man Raja Casablanca upset title holders Enyimba in the African Champions League Group A clash.

The veteran midfielder headed home 10 minutes from time to inflict a second straight defeat on the Nigerian side.

It was an unlikely victory for the Moroccan team, who had had Hassan Daoudi sent off earlier in the second half for shirt-pulling.

Enyimba missed a penalty when Mustapha Chadili saved from Yusuf Mohammed.

Mohammed had converted at his first attempt, only for the referee to order the kick to be retaken because Enyimba players had encroached into the penalty area.

And they were left to rue that missed opportunity when Jrindou rose to meet Marouane Zemmama's free-kick in the 80th minute.

Raja's victory was another triumph for new Romanian coach Alexandre Moldovan, who led the team to Morocco's Throne Cup last week in his first game in charge.

Enyimba, who have won the last two Champions League titles, have now slumped to the foot of Group A with just one point from three games.

Defeat for the Nigerian outfit when the two teams meet again on 7 August would make it impossible for them to reach the semi-finals.

Egypt's Zamalek were held to a 1-1 draw by Tunisia's Esperance in a Champions League group B tie played in Cairo on Sunday.

Both goals came in the first half, with the home side taking the lead after 35 minutes through Mohamed Abdel Wahed.

He scored from a corner kick which Ivorian goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie failed to clear.

But the Tunisians grabbed their equaliser two minutes into added time of the first half, thanks to captain Moein Shabani.

The unmarked defender headed home a cross from Esperance's Cameroonian midfielder Olivier.

Zamalek could have walked away with the three points if striker Abdel Halim Ali had converted a chance from close range in the very last minute of the game.

Sunday's draw means that Zamalek have failed to beat a Tunisian club for the second consecutive time, after a 1-1 home draw against Etoile du Sahel.

However, the 2002 Champions League winners maintain their record of not being beaten at home in African club competition for 29 years.

 

[Chxta]

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) are withholding a total of 33,437,500 Naira from the purse of Nigerian club Enyimba in a dispute over television rights from earlier this year, CAF said on Wednesday.

Enyimba have only been paid 93,625,000 Naira of the 127,062,500 Naira earned for winning last year’s African Champions League title because CAF are withholding the rest until they examine the financial losses claimed by the French television company SportFive.

In terms of SportFive’s contract with CAF for the television rights to all major African soccer events, the home side are responsible for the production of the television pictures of their matches.

Enyimba did not organise any TV coverage of their 2-0 win over Ghana’s Hearts of Oak in the Super Cup played in Aba in February.

SportFive have made a claim for compensation which is to be heard by CAF’s executive committee in Cairo in October.

Last week Enyimba’s chairman Felix Anyansi-Agwu claimed his club’s current slump in form was to be blamed on the fact that CAF had not paid them their prize money from the 2004 edition of the Champions League.

Enyimba, who are seeking to win Africa’s top club prize for an unprecedented third time, are bottom of their group with just a single point at the halfway stager of the league phase.

CAF on Wednesday countered Anyansi-Agwu’s claims by detailing the payments already made to the team, including Anyansi-Agwu’s collection of a cheque to the value of 66,875,000 Naira from Cairo in May.

In a statement they said a second sum of 26,750,000 Naira was only paid over on Monday because CAF said Enyimba had failed to provide “appropriate bank details”.

 

[Chxta]

Champions Enyimba must beat Morocco's Raja Casablanca on Sunday for their dream of a third straight African title to stay alive.

The club lost several players at the end of last year, after beating Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel in the final.

While their new-look side sits atop the Nigerian championship, Enyimba's Champions League performances have been a far cry from the rampant form shown in the last two editions.

Their next game presents a final opportunity to change those fortunes and post a first group win, which will put Enyimba in contention for second place in Group A.

The other berth from that group is likely to go to Egypt's Ahly, who have won all three group matches.

Ahly, who have kept up their 14-month unbeaten run through the first half of the testing group phase, will ensure their progress to the last four if they beat Ajax Cape Town away in South Africa on Sunday.

Ajax, already threadbare through suspension and the departure of key players, were handed another blow at the weekend when captain Tsholola Tshinyama was suspended for six months.

He failed a drugs test at the end of the South African championship in May.

In Group B, Tunisia's Esperance are a side in difficulty, ahead of Sunday's encounter against Egypt's Zamalek in Tunis.

Esperance suffered an embarrassing opening day defeat last Sunday to newly-promoted Jendouba Sports at the start of the new Tunisian championship.

Esperance (in red and gold) face a tough task against Zamalek

But they will have Cameroonian forward Frank Olivier Ongfiang and midfielder Karim Zaiem back from injury.

Esperance have also recalled Brazilian-born wing back Jose Clayton and fellow defender Walid Azaiez to the squad, after the pair had been suspended for indiscipline.

Group B's other match is also being played in Tunisia, with Etoile Sahel hosting Ivorian side Asec Mimosas in Sousse on Saturday.

Mohamed Melliti, captain of Etoile, will miss the match.

He injured himself in the opening match of the weekend.

The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals, to be played over two legs in September and October, with the final being played over two legs in November.

 

[Chxta]

Reigning champions Enyimba of Nigeria beat visiting Raja Casablanca of Morocco 2-0 in Group A of the Champions League on Sunday.

The victory is Enyimba's first of the group stages in 2005 and puts them in second place in the group.

Ghana's Joe Tex Frimpong proved to be the hero for Enyimba as he scored both goals for the Nigerians.

Frimpong chipped Raja's second-choice goalkeeper Yassine El Hadi for the opening goal on the half hour mark.

For his second he intercepted the ball after some hesitant Raja defending to secure the win just after the break.

The double took Frimpong's tally for this year's tournament to eight goals.

In the other Group A match Ahly remained top of the table despite being held to a 0-0 draw in South Africa by Ajax Cape Town.

The result helped Ahly stretch their unbeaten run to 36 matches, the Cairo club have not lost a competitive match since June last year.

Ajax could only find four substitutes due to transfers, suspensions and injuries.

The football was often as bleak as the chilly, windy weather and the small crowd huddled in the main stand at the 20,000-seat Athlone Stadium had little to celebrate.

Ahly comfortably contained a feeble South African attack that rarely threatened experienced former African Goalkeeper of the Year Essam al-Hadary.

Ahly, who had won all three of their previous games in the group stages, remain top of the table with 10 points.

Enyimba move into second place ahead of Raja thanks to the better head to head results between the two sides.

The South African side fall into last place with three points from their four matches so far.

Next up for the Egyptian side is a trip to play Raja Casablanca on 20 August, while Ajax travel to face Enyimba the next day.

 

[Chxta]

Awule Quaye's second-half strike earned Zamalek victory over Tunisia's Esperance in the African Champions League on Sunday.

The victory took Zamalek top of Group B and within sight of the semi-finals. Esperance's Frank Olivier Ongfiang put his side ahead early in the second half with a strike from outside the area.

Hazem Imam equalised for Zamalek with a header, his first touch after coming on as a substitute, and Quaye broke clear five minutes later to score the winner.

Quaye ran unchallenged for more than 30m before beating goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie with a cool finish.

The goal gave Zamalek their first win of the tournament after three successive draws.

The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals, to be played over two legs in September and October.

 

[Chxta]

Tunisian rivals Esperance and Etoile Sahel clash in the biggest game of the Champions League weekend.

Khaled Ben Yahia takes charge of Esperance for only his second match, knowing that a win will improve their chances of reaching the semi-finals.

The Group B match at the Rades stadium on Saturday, which is hosting the game because of the large crowd expected for the tie, is one of four games on the penultimate weekend of the group stages.

Esperance are going through a crisis of confidence and hope to reverse their flagging fortunes with a needed win.

Rooted to the bottom of Group B, Esperance are yet to win a game in the ongoing Tunisian championship, a run unprecedented in the club's history.

The poor run led to the sacking of coach Mrad Mahjoub, who departed within hours of their last Champions League game, a 2-1 home defeat to Egypt's Zamalek on 7 August.

Ben Yahia said he took up the challenging job after "responding to a call of need."

Esperance have also sold their Brazil-born wingback Jose Clayton to Qatar, less than a month after he was suspended for indiscipline.

The irony of potential elimination by their Sousse rivals would only increase tension at the Tunis club.

Etoile Sahel, finalists in the 2003 edition of Africa's most prestigious tournament, will earn a semi-final ticket if they win Saturday's match.

Zamalek of Egypt would secure their semi-final berth should they beat Ivorians Asec Mimosas on Sunday.

Ajax coach Gordon Igesund and Enyimba coach Okey Emordi (right)
The coaches of Ajax Cape Town and Enyimba battle for supremacy on Sunday

But the Group B leaders recently sacked their coach after drawing the opening match of the domestic championship.

German Theo Bucker was removed after a 1-1 draw at home to Ittihad last weekend and was replaced by Farouk Gaffar.

Cairo rivals Ahly need just one more point to finish at the top of Group A.

But coach Manuel Jose wants all three points when they take on Morocco's Raja Casablanca.

"We want to win every game," said the club's Portuguese coach, who has engineered their 14-month unbeaten run.

Enyimba of Nigeria, the defending champions, are also expected to brighten their chances of a semi-final place when they host South Africa's Ajax Cape Town on Sunday.

The last round of group matches will be played on the weekend of 10-11 September.

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

ye thats interesting

 

[Chxta]

Meanwhile...

The group stages of the Confederation Cup reaches the half-way stage this weekend, with two West African sides in command.

Ghana's King Faisal Babes lead group A with a two-point cushion, while Nigeria's Dolphins FC lead the other pool on goals difference.

Faisal are hoping that Ghana's football authorities will postpone this weekend's round of games in the domestic championship, so that fans will troop to the stadium to support their continental title quest.

Faisal, who face Moroccan side FAR Rabat and also top the league standings in Ghana, say the gesture will help increase much-needed gate takings from the tie.

But FAR Rabat, with four points, could knock off King Faisal from the top of Group A - as well as end their perfect winning record - if they manage to get an away win.

Fello Stars of Guinea will be hoping to earn their first points of the group campaign, when they face Tunisia's AS Marsa at home.

Nigeria's Dolphins face Gabonese side FC 105 in Port Harcourt on Sunday but will be missing the services of striker Victor Ezeji, who misses the game through a knee injury.

FC 105, yet to earn a point in the group phase, are hoping for a reversal of fortunes that will give them a fighting chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.

CAF ordered the game to be put back by three hours, in order to avoid a clash with the Champions League Group A tie between Enyimba and Ajax Cape Town in Aba, which starts at 1500 gmt on the same day.

But the first game of the weekend takes place on Friday, as Ismaili, finalists in the 2003 Champions League, take on fellow Egyptians Arab Contractors.

 

[Freddy]

tonight....Al-Ahly will face Rajaa in Morocco

GO AHLY