West African derbies headline CAFCC this weekend

Friday Nov 27, 2020. 09:00

A couple of tasty West African derbies headline the start of the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup, with 18 preliminary round, first-leg matches taking place across the continent from 27-29 November.

Perhaps the pick of regional clashes sees Senegal’s ASC Diaraf host Nigerian side Kano Pillars on Saturday, with the latter looking to better incorporate technical advisor Lionel Soccoia into their coaching team.

“You can’t be making all the decisions when you just come newly into a team, there are other people who have worked with these players in the past and know them more than you do,” former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze told Brila. “So he has to work with these coaches and carry them along, any coach who comes into a new system and tries to sideline others is selfish.”

The other notable derby sees Ghana’s Ashanti Gold host Salitas of Burkina Faso, with the latter’s defender Nartey Polo revealing their desire to upset ‘The Miners’.

“I was very happy when I heard the news that we are going to play against Ashanti Gold in the Confederation Cup,” Polo told Ashh FM.”I know Ghanaians to be the best when it comes to football and we also play good football so it will be very exciting and interesting playing against Ashanti Gold.

“I have known Ashanti Gold to be one of the best teams years ago but for now I don’t know their players and the team. We [Salitas] are good at all aspects of systems used in football. Salitas is very sound when it comes to finances so surely qualify ahead of Ashanti Gold.”

Other notable matches on the weekend include Cameroon’s Coton Sport away to UFC Sokode in Togo; DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union host Bloemfontein Celtic of South Africa; Nigeria’s Rivers United visit Futuro Kings of Equatorial Guinea; and Tunisia’s US Monastir will host Ethiopian side Fasil Kenema.

The return leg matches will be played on the weekend of 4-6 December, with the 18 aggregate winners advancing to join 14 clubs (which received byes) in the first round.

CAF Confederation Cup fixtures, 27-29 November

Preliminary round, first leg

Friday 27 November

CL Kamsar v Renaissance

US Monastir v Fasil Kenema

Al Amal Atbara v KVZ

Saturday 28 November

AS Kaloum Star v Tevragh-Zeina

GAMTEL v TAS Casablanca

ASC Diaraf v Kano Pillars

Arta-Solar7 v Al Mokawloon

Al Ittihad Tripoli v Horseed

Namungo v Al Rabita

Etoile du Congo v Bravos do Marquis

Musongati v Green Eagles

Futuro Kings v Rivers United

Sunday 29 November

Yeelen Olympique v USGN

Orapa United v AS Kigali

Ngazi Sport v NAPSA Stars

Ashanti Gold v Salitas

UFC Sokode v Coton Sport

AS Maniema Union v Bloemfontein Celtic