Confederation Cup preview

Pfister is now in charge of Al-Merreikh of Sudan

Veteran coaches Patrice Neveu and Otto Pfister swop the turmoil of Togo for the more sedate world of the African Confederation Cup this weekend.

Frenchman Neveu has taken charge of Egyptian club Ismailia after Togo withdrew an offer for him to succeed Pfister and gave the post to Nigerian Stephen Keshi instead.

German Pfister joined Al-Merreikh of Sudan after a tumultous spell in charge of the Togolese World Cup squad.

Ismailia and Al-Merreikh are two of six clubs in the second round of the competition who have lifted a continental trophy.

The others are DC Motema Pembe of the DR Congo, Union Douala of Cameroon, Mouloudia Alger of Algeria and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia.

Sfaxien, winners of the now defunct Caf Cup in 1998, will be idle this weekend as civil unrest in Guinea forced the postponement of their fixture against Satellite in Conakry.

Ismailia face Ajesaia in Madagascar, Merreikh confront CotonTchad in Chad, Motema Pembe meet Benfica Luanda in Angola.

Union play Textil Pungue in Mozambique and Mouloudia square up against Kwara United in Nigeria.

Good domestic league form has lifted 1969 African champions Ismailia into second place behind runaway leaders Ahly and they should be too strong for the Indian Ocean islanders.

While the Egyptians received a first round bye, Ajesaia thrashed Curepipe Starlight of Mauritius 4-0 in Antananarivo.

Merreikh, winners of the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup in 1989, will treat minnows CotonTchad warily after stiker Lucien Teinkor scored in stoppage time to eliminate Libyan outfit Al-Ahly Tripoli.

Motema Pembe, who also lifted the Cup Winners Cup, have arguably the toughest task of the big names as Benfica were the most impressive first round winners with a 7-1 drubbing of San Pedro Claver from Equatorial Guinea.

After studying the first round draw, Douala must have believed they would play Simba of Tanzania, but two 1-1 draws with Textil led to a penalty shootout which the Mozambicans won in Dar es Salaam.

Kwara won at home and away to Dragons Oueme of Benin and have a realistic chance of defeating 1976 African Champions Cup holders Mouloudia Alger in Ilorin.

The other Algerian challengers, ASO Chlef, host 2006 Arab Champions League runners-up ENPPI of Egypt and impressive debutants Mwana Africa of Zimbabwe entertain Angolan police side InterClube.

Mining team Mwana are coached by former Zimbabwe midfield star Wilfred Khumalo and boast the leading 2007 Confederation Cup marksman in four-goal Tawanda Mareya.