El Kanemi headline clubs chasing Confederation Cup advancement

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Aug 23, 2024. 13:00

Nigeria’s El Kanemi Warriors headline the clubs chasing a place in the next phase of the CAF Confederation Cup, as the second-leg matches of the first qualifying round are played this weekend.

Warriors could only draw 1-1 at home to Dadje FC of Benin last weekend, leaving them in danger of an early exit from the continental competition, unless they can put up a strong performance on Saturday afternoon in Cotonou.

El Kanemi coach Aliyu Zubairu has bemoaned a pre-season lacking in quality matches to get his team up to speed: “The time we were supposed to go for pre-season tournament was when the #EndBadGovernance protest broke out in the country and the Governor said we shouldn’t risk the life of any player by going out of the state.

“By the time the protest ended, we couldn’t play any grade A match and certainly, the inability to play matches showed in our game negatively.”

The other Nigerian team in the Confederation Cup this season is Enyimba, who are one of 12 seeded clubs awaiting the winners of certain first-round ties in the next stage.

The People’s Elephant will take on the winner of Etoile Filante FC (Burkina Faso) v Hafia FC (Guinea), with those sides locked at 1-1 ahead of a second meeting in neutral Bamako.

One of the weekend’s potential thrillers will come from the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia, as hosts ZESCO United look to overturn a 0-1 deficit against Zimbabwe’s Dynamos.

This Southern African derby promises to be a tense encounter, with Dynamos coach Lloyd Chigowe wary of a strong response from Team Ya Ziko.

“We were never under any pretence that ZESCO are a poor side,” said Chigowe.

“They are a strong team and have been representing Zambia in continental competitions, the Champions League in particular, so we expect no less in Zambia.

“So, we will brace ourselves and hope for the best, but football is a practical sport and we will try to apply [ourselves] correctly.

“It is going to be a tough game, but we are an ambitious side and we are the flagship of Zimbabwean football. We are ambassadors. We must give our best for the flag and the club.”

Other ties which are delicately poised include RC Abidjan (Ivory Coast) hosting Union de Touarga (Morocco) with the teams locked at 0-0; Orapa United (Botswana) take on Foresters MF (Seychelles) in Francisdown with the aggregate score 1-1; and ASC Jaraaf (Senegal) hold a slender 1-0 lead over East End Lions (Sierra Leone) ahead of their match in Thies.

CAF Confederation Cup weekend fixtures

Times CAT. First round, second leg matches – aggregate score in parenthesis.

Friday 23 August

15:00: Rukinzo FC (Burundi) v Horseed FC (Somalia) (0-0)

18:00: Etoile Filante (Burkina Faso) v Hafia FC (Guinea) (1-1)

19:00: Al Hilal Benghazi (Libya) v Kitara FC (Uganda) (3-2)

Saturday 24 August

15:00: Black Bulls (Mozambique) v Alize Fort (Comoros) (7-0)

15:00: Stellenbosch FC (South Africa) v Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini) (3-0)

15:00: ZESCO United (Zambia) v Dynamos FC (Zimbabwe) (0-1)

16:00: Elect Sport (Chad) v Nsoatreman FC (Ghana) (0-3)

17:00: Dadje FC (Benin) v El Kanemi Warriors (Nigeria) (1-1)

18:00: RC Abidjan (Ivory Coast) v Union de Touarga (Morocco) (0-0)

19:30: Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) v Uhamiaji FC (Zanzibar) (1-0)

20:00: Stade Tunisien (Tunisia) v Jamus FC (South Sudan) (1-0)

Sunday 25 August

14:00: Ethiopian Coffee (Ethiopia) v Administration Police (Kenya) (0-0)

15:00: Coastal Union (Tanzania) v Bravos do Marquis (Angola) (0-3)

15:00: Police FC (Rwanda) v CS Constantine (Algeria) (0-2)

16:00: Fovu Club (Cameroon) v Paynesville FC (Liberia) (0-4)

16:00: Orapa United (Botswana) v Foresters MF (Seychelles) (1-1)

16:30: Lunda Sul (Angola) v Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) (1-1)

16:30: AS Otoho (Congo) v 15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea) (First leg; second leg to be played on 28 August)

17:00: AS FAN (Niger) v ASC Kara (Togo) (2-2)

19:00: ASC Jaraaf (Senegal) v East End Lions (Sierra Leone) (1-0)