RS Berkane, USM Alger and Zamalek eyeing knockout stages

RS Berkane will be looking to maintain their perfect start in the CAF Confederation Cup group stages, while CS Sfaxien, Lunda Sul, ASC Jaraaf, Orapa United and Enyimba go in search of their first wins.

Group A is the most tightly contested, with three of the four teams tied on six points and CS Constantine will attempt to retain top spot when they host Bravos do Maquis at the Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium on Sunday night.

CSC saw their 100 per cent record come to an end on matchday 3 after suffering a dramatic 3-2 defeat at the hands of Os Maquisardes in Luanda. Simba returned to winning ways as they too scored a last-gasp goal to beat CS Sfaxien 2-1 in Dar es Salaam, although they remain in third place on goals scored.

Earlier in the evening, Simba will be hoping to keep the pressure on the top two when they take on CS Sfaxien at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium.

Juventus El Arab squandered an early lead to lose to the Msimbazi Reds last time out, which left them without a single group in the group following a third straight defeat.

RS Berkane are sitting pretty in Group B and they will secure qualification for the knockout stages if they triumph over Stade Malien at the Stade du 26 Mars on Sunday night.

The Oranges Boys made it three wins from three after edging the Whites 1-0 in  Berkane on matchday 3 and Stade Malien will be aiming to make home advantage count in Bamako as they look to stay ahead of Stellenbosch in second position.

Stellenbosch will be targeting back-to-back wins when they welcome Lunda Sul to the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday evening.

The Maroons finally got their campaign up and running with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Angolan club in Luanda on December 15, having lost their first two matches. Lunda Sul only have one point to show for their efforts after holding Stade Malien to a 1-1 draw on matchday 2.

Meanwhile, USM Alger will look to cement top spot in Group C when they lock horns with ASEC Mimosas at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Sunday evening.

USMA have scored the most goals in the group stages (9) after they cruised to a 3-0 win over Les Mimos in Algiers last time out to open up a three-point gap at the summit. The Ivorian outfit are now winless in their last two outings after kicking off their campaign with a 2-0 victory against ASC Jaraaf on November 27.

ASC Jaraaf and Orapa United will be desperate to keep their respective Confederation Cup hopes alive when they clash at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium on Sunday evening.

The two teams are level on two points apiece after they played out to a goalless draw in Francistown on matchday 3, with Jaraaf (3rd) edging the Ostriches (4th) on goal difference.

Group D is still very undecided with just three points separating the top-three teams and Zamalek will be determined to keep their unbeaten record intact when they face Al Masry at the Borg El Arab Stadium on Sunday evening.

The White Knights went three points clear of the chasing pack courtesy of a narrow 1-0 win over their Egyptian rivals at the same venue on December 15, which halted Al Masry’s own undefeated run in the group stages.

In a concurrent match at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Enyimba will be looking to add to their solitary point in the group when they entertain Black Bulls.

The Peoples’ Elephant were no match for the Bulls on matchday 3 after slumping to a 3-0 defeat in Maputo, which left them three points adrift of qualification with three games left to play.

Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup fixtures:

18h00: CS Sfaxien v Simba

18h00: Stellenbosch v Lunda Sul

18h00: ASC Jaraaf v Orapa United

18h00: ASEC Mimosas v USM Alger

18h00: Enyimba v Black Bulls

18h00: Al Masry v Zamalek

21h00: CS Constantine v Bravos do Maquis

21h00: Stade Malien v RS Berkane