Champions League preview

Ahly are hoping to extend a 46-game unbeaten record

Etoile v Raja, Saturday 1945 GMT, Ahly v Zamalek Sunday 1930 GMT

Tunisia's Etoile Sahel and Egypt's Ahly are poised to reach the African Champions League final.

Both sides carry semi-final, first-leg leads into the decisive second leg being played this weekend.

Etoile, looking to reach their second successive final after beating Raja Casablanca 1-0 in Morocco on 24 September, host the return leg at the Olympic stadium in Sousse on Saturday.

The Tunisian side were beaten in a penalty shootout in last year's final by former champions Enyimba, who were knocked out in the group stages.

Etoile's encounter with Raja comes just a week after Tunisia drew 2-2 with Morocco, which enabled them qualify for next year's World Cup finals.

Raja's hopes for a measure of Moroccan revenge have been dampened by poor form of late, including a 0-0 home draw in the league with lowly Ittihad Tanger.

The Tunisians will be without Nigerian striker Emeka Opara, who scored the away goal in the first leg.

He was booked in that match and serves an automatic one-game suspension as a result.

Raja need an away win in Sousse

Ahly's derby against arch-rivals Zamalek in the other semi-final has not delivered the intensity the Cairo derby normally incites, given the large gulf in form and talent between the two sides over the last year.

But Ahly goalkeeper Nadar El Sayed said Sunday's game will be a contrast to the rather cautous football played in the opening leg.

"It will be a very tough game. It will be different from the first one, where players from both side were nervous," he told BBC Sport.

Ahly won 2-1 in what was Zamalek's home leg at Cairo's Military stadium on 25 September.

They are expected to extend a 45-match unbeaten run when they host the return leg at the same venue on Sunday.

But they might have to do without top scorer Emad Moetab, who has a tally of six goals in this year's competition.

He was injured in training on Wednesday.

The final will be played over two legs on the weekends of October 28-30 and November 11-13.

In the Confederation Cup, Egypt's Ismaili and Nigeria's Dolphins will play their last Group B game in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

The game will determine which of the two will face FAR of Morocco in the final.

FAR are the undisputed leaders of Group A.