Zamalek and Berkane gear up for TotalEnergies CAF Confederation ...

14 Sep 2024

CAFOnline.com

Published: Friday, 13 September 2024

The 2024-25 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round is set to kick off this weekend, with some of Africa's biggest clubs stepping into the competition.

Defending champions Zamalek and last season's finalists RS Berkane are among the prominent teams hoping to secure a place in the group stages.

Africa's most renowned clubs take their first steps towards the group stages, with the likes of defending champions Zamalek and two-time winners RS Berkane gearing up for crucial encounters this weekend.

Zamalek's Title Defence Begins

Reigning champions Zamalek will kick off their quest for back-to-back Confederation Cup titles when they face Administration Police of Kenya at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.

Zamalek, who claimed their second title in the competition last season, are widely considered favourites for this tie but are well aware that no opponent can be taken lightly.

Zamalek’s experience in African competitions, coupled with their squad depth, puts them in a strong position to progress to the group stages.

The Cairo giants will be aiming for a commanding result to take back to Egypt for the second leg.

RS Berkane Aim for a Strong Start

RS Berkane, who have consistently performed well in recent years with titles in 2020 and 2022 and runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2024, will face Benin outfit Dadje at the Stade de l’Amitié on Saturday.

The Moroccan side, known for their defensive solidity and effective counter-attacking play, will be looking to avoid any slip-ups in the first leg as they chase a third CAF Confederation Cup title.

Berkane will be eager to avoid the kind of drama that overshadowed their semi-final last season, where a political dispute resulted in a walkover against USM Alger.

Sekhukhune, Stellenbosch Eye Group Stage Berths

South African clubs are also in action, with Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch FC eager to extend their continental journeys.

Sekhukhune will take on Angola's Lunda Sul at the Estadio 11 de Novembro on Saturday, hoping to build on their solid performance last season, when they reached the group stages in their debut campaign.

Stellenbosch, who cruised through the first preliminary round with an 8-0 aggregate win over Nsingizini Hotspurs, will face a tougher test against AS Vita Club of DR Congo at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday.

Enyimba and CS Constantine in Action

Elsewhere, Nigerian side Enyimba have arrived in Bamako for their encounter with Burkina Faso's Etoile Filante, which will take place at the Mamadou Konaté Stadium on Saturday.

The People's Elephant, who were handed a bye in the first round, are the only Nigerian side left in the competition following the elimination of El Kanemi Warriors.

In Algeria, CS Constantine face a tough assignment as they take on Ghanaian club FC Nsoatreman in the first leg of their second preliminary round tie.

Head coach Kheireddine Madoui acknowledged the quality of the opposition but remains optimistic. "Nsoatreman is technically stronger than our last opponent, FC Police of Rwanda, but we’re well prepared for this match," Madoui said.

As the second preliminary round gets underway, the battle to secure spots in the prestigious group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup is heating up, with all eyes on the big names aiming to make their mark in this season’s competition.

CAF Confederation Cup first-leg fixtures:

Friday, September 13

15h00: Nsoatreman v CS Constantine

16h00: Etoile Filante v Enyimba

16h00: RC Abidjan v ASC Jaraaf

17h00: Stellenbosch v AS Vita Club

Saturday, September 14

12h00: Administration Police v Zamalek

13h00: Black Bulls v AS Otoho

14h00: Lunda Sul v Sekhukhune United

15h00: Dadje v RS Berkane

16h00: Paynesville v Stade Malien