The CAF Confederation Cup group stage enters day 3 this weekend across the continent, three Cameroonians will be on show for three different Maghrebian clubs.
In Group A which happens to have three Moroccan clubs, 21 years old Cameroon left back Fabrice Gael Ngah and Raja of Casablanca will try to get maximum points against Renaissance of Berkane. The defending champions know that a win at the 80,000 capacity Mohammed V stadium will give them a chance to leapfrog current group leaders AS Berkane who have experienced Burkinabe legend Alan Traore as one of their attacking options.
In the other game, bottom placed HUS Agadir with just one point in their opening two games will try to revive their hopes of staying in the competition in their home game against third placed AS Otôho, the 2018 Congo Brazzaville league winners. HUS Agadir’s Argentine coach Miguel Angel Gamondi knows it’s a game of high stakes.
In Group B, 17 times Nigerian Champions Enugu Rangers are welcoming the competition’s most successful club, 3 time winners CS Sfax. The Flying Antelopes of Enugu are currently topping the group with 4 points with just goal difference separating them from their illustrious Tunisian visitors.
2006 and 2015 winners Etoile Sahel of Sousse with Cameroon’s 19 years old defensive midfielder Jacques Amour Taghnou Mbé will try to get their first win against bottom of the group Salitas FC from Burkina Faso. The Burkinabe club is the first club from that country to play in the group stage of the a CAF competition, for them every game is a lesson. Etoile Sahel can count on the wealth of experience of their French coach Roger Lemerre to steady their ship.
1992 CAF Champions League runners-up Al Hilal of Omdurman travel to Ndola to face 7 times Zambian Champions and Group C leaders ZESCO United at the Dag Hammarskjöld stadium. Meanwhile 1970 and 1983 CAF Champions League winners Asante Kotoko will also be making the journey to Zambia under the tutelage of Ghanaian legend Charles Akonnor to face 12times Zambian league winners Nkana FC. Linos Makwaza’s Nkana FC Red Devils are currently bottom of a group in which all four teams are tied on 3points with only goal difference separating them. The Great Porcupines of Kumasi, 24 times Ghanaian Champions are yet to lift this trophy which their bitters Rivals Hearts of Oaks won in 2004.Nkana has a Frightening 46 years unbeaten run at home in CAF Competitions.
Finally in Group D, 26 years old Cameroon forward Landry Ntankeu Tchatchet and Nasr Athletic Hussein travel to Kenya to face 17 times Kenyan Champions Gor Mahia FC. Currently second on the log, trailing their opponents for this weekend by one point, the Mighty Gor can count on the experience of the ever Denis Oliech upfront.
Surprise bottom of the table Zamalek of Cairo with just 1point in their first two games will host Petro Atlético of Luanda. Coach Christian Gross knows it’s a must win game for the White Knights who can count on the support of over 70,000 supporters at the Cairo International Stadium. The 12 times Egyptian Champions and 5times African champions league winners are desperate to add this trophy to their already rich trophy cabinet.
The CAF Confederations Cup was introduced in 2004 to replace the CAF cup winners cup and the CAF cup. The previous 15 editions of the tournament have produced 11 different winners from 7 different countries.
Complete Match Day 3 Games
Sunday, 24th February.
NAIROBI – 13:00GMT
Gor Mahia FC 🇰🇪 vs. 🇩🇿 NA Hussein Dey
KITWE – 13:00GMT
Nkana FC 🇿🇲 vs. 🇬🇠Asante Kotoko SC
RABAT – 16:00GMT
Raja CA 🇲🇦 vs. 🇲🇦 RS Berkane
SFAX – 16:00GMT
CS Sfaxien 🇹🇳 vs. 🇧🇫 Salitas FC
NDOLA – 16:00GMT
ZESCO United 🇿🇲 vs. 🇸🇩 Al Hilal Club
SOUSSE – 19:00GMT
Etoile Sahel 🇹🇳 vs. 🇳🇬 Enugu Rangers
AGADIR – 19:00GMT
Hassania Agadir 🇲🇦 vs. 🇨🇬 Otoho d’Oyo
ALEXANDRIA – 19:00GMT
Zamalek SC 🇪🇬 vs. 🇦🇴 Petro Atletico
The gap between the CAF Confederation cup and the Champions League is now reducing with every passing season.
www.kick442.com will give you all the updates
Muambo Edward.
