British Broadcasting Corporation

BBC Sport football

Watch Sport news bulletin

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 17:37 GMT, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:37 UK

Former champions face cup exit

Champions League logo
The African Champions League has reached its decisive moment

The African Champions League has reached its decisive phase.

Clubs which lose their ties over this weekend will drop into the Confederation Cup, and miss out on the money-spinning group stage.

Asec Mimosas look the most vulnerable of the former winners.

Games are spread across Friday, Saturday and Sunday - by Sunday evening we will know which eight teams are going into the draw on 17 May.


Saturday

Etoile celebrate
Winners in 2007, Etoile du Sahel host a tired out Dynamos this weekend

The Champions League title holders Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia were beaten 1-0 in the away leg of their tie against Zimbabwe's Dynamos.

But they will surely be confident of overturning that scoreline in the home leg.

Apart from the natural home advantage, the visitors will have had a torrid journey to north Africa.

After appealing for extra funds to allow them to afford to pay for the trip, they set off from Harare on Thursday evening, and were due to travel via Johannesburg and Cairo, before arriving in Sousse late on Friday.

The length of the journey and the lack of preparation time for the Zimbabweans make Etoile strong favourites for the tie.

Sunday

Last year's runners-up and five-time winners Al Ahly of Egypt must also overcome a first leg deficit from their tie against Platinum Stars of South Africa.

They lost the first leg 2-1 in South Africa and having secured an away goal, Ahly would normally be expected to ease past the visitors on home soil.

But since securing the domestic title in Egypt they have been out of sorts, and some fans sense the possibility of an upset.

ASEC Mimosas logo
The Abidjan giants need to score in Morocco

Ahly's great local rivals Zamalek, who have also won the title five times, have a 3-0 lead from the first leg of their tie with InterClube but must play the second leg in Angola.

Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast are in Morocco having had a disappointing 0-0 draw against Olympique Khouribga in Abidjan.

Two times former champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo host Libya's Al Ittihad in Lubumbashi, and must turn round a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

And South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns host Al Hilal of Sudan, needing to overcome a 4-2 defeat from the first leg.

Keep up to date with all action by tuning into Fast Track on the BBC World Service at 1730GMT on Sunday and 1600GMT on Monday.




see also
JSK clinch Algeria league title
04 May 08 |  African
Mozer fired as InterClube coach
01 May 08 |  African
Dynamos beat holders Etoile
27 Apr 08 |  African


related bbc links:

related internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Explore the BBC

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.