admin
CAF Champions League group games kick off this weekend amid security concerns in Egypt and the banning of a Cameroon club. The clash of Cairo giants Zamalek and Al-Ahly has been moved to a Red Sea resort amid political turmoil and insecurity in the country. And Coton Sport cannot host Sewe San Pedro of Cote d’Ivoire because of a Fifa ban on Cameroon over state interference in the running of football.
Orlando Pirates of South Africa are at home to AC Leopards of Congo and Recreativo Libolo of Angola host Esperance of Tunisia in other fixtures.
Egypt football authorities have cancelled almost the complete national league in the aftermath of the military toppling of President Mohamed Morsi.
They also switched the high-profile Zamalek-Ahly showdown to El Gouna, a holiday resort renowned for watersports 450 kilometres north-east of Cairo.
But hard-core supporters of both clubs, known as “ultras”, say they will not respect a decision to stage the match behind closed doors in a tiny stadium.
Champions League organisers Caf have warned that any violence will lead to the game being cancelled.
Most football fixtures in Egypt have been played in empty stadiums after more than 70 deaths in post-match Port Said rioting early last year.
When spectators were permitted to attend selected national team and Caf club fixtures, a crowd limit of 3 000 was generally imposed.
However, even these small attendances did not prevent trouble with Zamalek fans ripping out seats and Ahly supporters flinging flares on to the pitch.
Originally scheduled for late Sunday afternoon, the game in El Gouna has been put back 24 hours for unexplained “marketing” reasons.
Defending champions Ahly have won the major Caf club competition a record seven times and second-place Zamalek boast five titles.
They have met four times at the group stage with the “Red Devils” of Ahly winning two and the “White Knights” of Zamalek forcing two draws.
Ahly reached the last eight through aggregate wins over Tusker of Kenya and CA Bizertin of Tunisia with veteran Emad Moteab scoring four of the six goals.
Abdoulaye Cisse went one better with five as Zamalek eliminated Gazelle of Chad, Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Saint George of Ethiopia.
The game marks the African debut of coach Mohamed Youssef after 2012 Champions League winner Hossam El Badry joined a Libyan club.
Esperance, champions once and runners-up twice in the past three editions, take a proud defensive record to Calulo for the match with Libolo Saturday.
The “Blood and Gold” from Tunis did not concede a goal in four qualifiers, including two against another Angolan outfit, Primeiro Agosto.
Group debutants Libolo have also shone, winning five times and drawing once to oust Simba of Tanzania, El-Merreikh of Sudan and Enugu Rangers of Nigeria.
Pirates, the only South African winners of the competition, shocked four-time champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo for a first group appearance in seven years.
Experienced centre-backs Lucky Lekgwathi (suspended) and Siyabonga Sangweni (injured) miss the Saturday game and veteran striker Benni McCarthy has retired.
Coach Roger de Sa said that only maximum points will suffice in Soweto if they are to challenge Ahly and Zamalek for the two semifinal spots on offer.
While Pirates overcame Djabal of the Comoros, Zanaco of Zambia and Mazembe, Leopards edged Mounana of Gabon, Kano Pillars of Nigeria and Setif of Algeria.
The Congolese were shock winners of the second-tier Caf Confederation Cup last year and boast a consistent scorer in two-metre tall Arouna Drame.-Supersport.
Online Reporter