RSB look to keep Confederation Cup defence on track

by Graeme Jackson

Saturday Apr 10, 2021. 10:00

RS Berkane will look to keep their CAF Confederation Cup title defence on track when they play JS Kabylie away in Algeria in one of eight matches in the group stage of the competition set to be played across Africa on Sunday 11 April.

Morocco’s RSB find themselves in a spot of bother in Group B, needing a win at JSK to move back into the top two, with the other game in the pool seeing leaders Cotonsport of Cameroon looking to consolidate top spot with a win at home to Zambia’s NAPSA Stars.

Kabylie coach Denis Lavagne saw his side hold the Oranges 0-0 in Berkane last weekend and believes it was a solid result for his side as they attempt to reach the knockout phase.

“We must not forget that Berkane is the holder of the title, it is a team used to these African games,” said the Frenchman. “But it remains a good result if we win at home [this Sunday].”

Group C is all about derbies, with the leading Tunisian duo of CS Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel meeting in Sfax – and hopefully producing at least one goal after their dour 0-0 in Rades last weekend – while ASC Diaraf will hope to complete a double over fellow West Africans Salitas with a clash in Porto-Novo. The Senegalese side won the clubs’ meeting in Thies 2-0 last Sunday, thanks to strikes from Albert Diene and Papa Paye.

South Africa’s Orlando Pirates will fancy their chances of being top of Group A by the end of Sunday. The Buccaneers, who are placed second on the log, have a home game against Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi, while log leaders Enyimba face a tricky match away to ES Setif – one the Algerian side needs to win to keep up their hopes of progression.

CONFED CUP GROUPS

“We expect them to come all out to fight, and on our part we know we need the maximum points so that we can keep our position on the table and we see what we can get on the road,” said Enyimba coach Fatai Osho.

In Group D, Raja Casablanca will look to keep up their 100 percent record, though they face a tough clash against Pyramids FC in Cairo. And they will be without coach Jamal Sellami, who took charge of his last game in charge of the Green Eagles when they won 2-0 at home against the Egyptian side last weekend.

“I had decided to leave the club after this match, as I had discussed with the president. I could have done it before, but given the stoppage period and the difficulty in finding a coach, I stayed until this match,” said Sellami.

The group’s other clash sees Zambia’s Nkana looking to bring themselves back into quarterfinal contention with a home win over Tanzanian club Namungo.

CAF Confederation Cup fixtures, Sunday 11 April

15:00: Cotonsport v NAPSA Stars

15:00: Nkana v Namungo

15:00: Salitas v ASC Jaraaf

18:00: Orlando Pirates v Al Ahly Benghazi

18:00: CS Sfaxien v Etoile du Sahel

21:00: ES Setif v Enyimba

21:00: JS Kabylie v RS Berkane

21:00: Pyramids v Raja Casablanca