Clubs eliminated from the African Champions League last month get a second chance for continental success when they drop down to play in the fourth round of the African Confederation Cup this weekend.
Eight losers in third-round Champions League ties a fortnight ago host the eight winners of third-round matches in Africa’s second annual club competition.
The fourth-round first-leg games this weekend feature three former African champions, two up against each other.
Wydad Casablanca of Morocco host Ismaili of Egypt on Sunday in a clash of past winners of the old African Champions Cup.
The Congolese side TP Mazembe Englebert are also in the field, seeking their first continental title since 1980 and host Mwana Africa of Zimbabwe in Kinshasa.
Nasarawa United and Kwara United become the first Nigerian clubs to play each other in continental competition in 30 years.
They meet at Lafia Township on Sunday after Nasarawa United narrowly missed out on a place in the group stages of the Champions League when they lost on penalties in Sudan to Al Hilal last month.
Nigeria’s third representative in the competition, Dolphin FC, travel to nearby Togo to meet Maranatha Fiokpo but take a weakened side for the first-leg match.
Dolphin FC, who were runners-up in the Confederation Cup in 2005, have three players suspended and a further three injured, including captain Victor Ezeji, a former Nigerian international.
German coach Otto Pfister, who was in charge of Togo at last year’s World Cup, takes his Sudanese side Al Merreikh to Tanzania for a meeting with Young Africans in Mwanza on Sunday.
Tunisian side CS Sfaxien, runners-up in last year’s Champions League, hope to repeat their continental exploits when they play Coton Sport of Cameroon in Garoua on Sunday.
But the club have sold inspirational captain Anis Boujelbene since last year’s final and have lost two Amir Haj Messaoud and Aymen Ben Amour to suspension.
The return legs will be played on May 18 to 20. The winners advance to the group phase of the Confederation Cup, which starts in July. – Reuters