Champions League preview

Hearts are yet to repeat their success in 2000

Ghana's Hearts of Oak are staring at another failure in the early rounds of the Champions League, keeping up an undistinguished record since they won Africa's top club prize six years ago.

The Accra club must overcome a 4-0 loss if they are to avoid another early exit, this time at the hands of the Ethiopian club St George in the first leg of their second round tie in Addis Ababa a fortnight ago.

St George's win over Hearts followed their surprise elimination of Egypt's ENPPI in the first round of this year's competition.

Since winning the Champions League in 2000, Hearts featured in the opening stages in every year.

But they have failed to reach the lucrative last eight of the tournament, where the teams enter a league phase and take a cut from the income which comes from marketing and television rights.

Hearts' new coach Francis Oti Akenteng blamed the high altitude in Addis Ababa for his side's surprise defeat but said they still had a chance to fight back in Saturday's return leg in Obuasi.

But the club's latest misfortunes did not end with the 4-0 defeat, as they were fined $5,000 by the Confederation of African Football, after five of their players were cautioned for violent play in the first leg.

Rivals Asante Kotoko are much better placed for progress into the third round of the competition. They host Ferroviario of Mozambique on Sunday, after forcing a goalless draw away in the first leg.

Both Ghanaian clubs have been forced to switch their matches to Obuasi's Len Clay stadium because of renovations to their Accra and Kumasi grounds, for Ghana's hosting of the 2008 African Nations Cup finals.

Two other former African champions will be attempting to overturn first-leg defeats.

JS Kabylie have an uphill task against Zanaco

Algeria JS Kabylie are a goal down against Zanaco of Zambia going into Friday's second leg in Algiers while Morocco's Royal Armed Forces must come back from a 2-1 deficit if they are to overcome Rwandan side APR.

Ahly of Egypt, the reigning champions, are expected to secure an easy win over Kenyan side Tusker on home soil in Cairo.

They won 2-0 in the first leg in Nairobi earlier in March.

Sixteen games will be played in the second round of the Champions League, a further 15 in the Confederation Cup, which is also at the second-round, second-leg stage.