Coulibaly, Shafiu headline stars to watch in the Confed Cup

Thursday Sep 26, 2019. 12:00

The 2019/20 CAF Confederation Cup resumes with 16 first round, second-leg matches across the continent this weekend. We pick the top five players to watch as the competition closes in on the group stage.

Ousmane Coulibaly

Djoliba v Maranatha (2-1), Sunday 29 September, Bamako

Scorer of Djoliba’s second goal in their 2-1 away win over Maranatha in the first leg, young winger Ousmane Coulibaly will be looking to further enhance his reputation with another strong showing in the return game in Bamako on Sunday.

Okey Odita

Enugu Rangers v AS Pelican (1-2), Sunday 29 September, Enugu

Veteran defender Okey Odita will be a key figure for Enugu Rangers as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit against AS Pelican in Nigeria, and he is confident of doing just that: “We are going to win and win well. That one [away] goal is good enough for us to hold on to.”

Mumuni Shafiu

RS Berkane v Ashanti Gold (2-3), Saturday 28 September, Berkane

Ashanti Gold’s talismanic striker scored a goal in their first-leg 3-2 win over RS Berkane, but the Miners will need the Ghanaian B international to further up his game for a tough return match in Morocco on Saturday night.

Mahmoud Wadi

Al Masry v Malindi (4-1), Saturday 28 September, Alexandria

The Palestine striker showed his class with a hat-trick in Al Masry’s 4-1 away win in Zanzibar. Malindi’s trip to Port Said on Saturday presents him with a great chance to add to his goal tally and become one of the early frontrunners for the Confed Cup’s Golden Boot.

Alaa Marzouki

CS Sfaxien v Paradou AC (1-3), Sunday 29 September, Sfax

Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien have a mountain to climb if they are to overturn a 3-1 deficit at home to Algeria’s Paradou. Yet the away goal scored in Algiers by Alaa Marzouki has given them genuine hope, and the 29-year-old will be a key figure for the ‘Juventus of the Arabs’ in Sunday’s clash in Sfax.