1. Young Africans face a pre-knockout phase test in Cairo
Yanga has been a delight to watch as they have beaten Medeama 3-0, Belouizdad 4-0 and drew 1-1 against Al Ahly in Tanzania. This is how incredible Miguel Angel Gamondi’s charges have been at home. In the away games, they were unsavoury in Algiers as they were beaten by Belouizdad 3-0. In Kumasi, they were better than the host, Medeama, as they drew 1-1. A trip to Cairo is the biggest test as they gear up to play in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history. They have to put up a good show to build their confidence ahead of the knockout phase. Yangas has probably played the best football in the CAF Champions League group stage and a match against Al Ahly is the ultimate test for the Tanzanians heading to the business end.
2. Winner takes all in Pretoria between Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe
Mamelodi Sundowns will welcome the in-form TP Mazembe to the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium. Nothing can separate these two teams at the moment as both teams have 10 points, have scored 6 goals each and conceded 1 goal each. It is the top-of-the-table clash as two giants prepare to battle for the top spot in Group A. Mamelodi Sundowns have been unbreakable in the CAF Champions League at home in recent seasons so TP Mazembe must double their effort before they can win the group. A draw will help the Congolese side to top the group.
3. Can Petro Luanda end the group without conceding a goal?
That will be an incredible feat because Petro has played against three teams that always do well the moment they play at home. The Angolans are yet to concede a single goal in the CCL due to their solidity at the back. Petro did not concede a goal in two trips to Tunisia when they faced the dangerous Esperance and Etoile du Sahel. They played against Al Hilal in Tanzania and did not concede, it shows how great Alexandre Santo’s Os Tricolores are at the back.
Pedro Pinto, Inacio Miguel, Quinito and To Carneiro have all been excellent at the back for Petro Luanda. 38-year-old Angolan goalkeeper, Hugo Marques, has made crucial saves so far.
Petro Luanda will host the bottom-placed Etoile du Sahel and would love to keep another clean sheet to make it 6 in the group stage.
4. Will Jwaneng cause another upset in Dar es Salaam?
Jwaneng shocked Wydad in Morocco on MD1. They have since not won a single game in the competition and are almost out but a win in Dar es Salaam against Simba and a win in Morocco for Asec over Wydad will qualify the team from Botswana. It’s a difficult task as winning in Tanzania is little by little becoming a huge task for teams in Africa.
Simba knows pretty well what is at stake. A win for them will ensure that they have qualified as they have a better head-to-head record against Wydad Casablanca.
If Simba wins, it will be a huge moment for Tanzanian football as they will have two teams in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history.
5. Esperance needs a draw to qualify against Al Hilal
Esperance de Tunis must avoid defeat against Florent Ibenge’s side in Tunisia to progress to the quarter-finals. A win for Al Hilal will eliminate the Tunisians whom they already lost 3-1 in Tanzanian against.
It has been a rough campaign for the Sudanese giants by not getting the opportunity to play in Sudan.
Esperance has beaten their arch-rivals Etoile du Sahel home and away in the group and is coming into the game with high confidence. Al Hilal should expect a hostile atmosphere as Esperance fans always show up whenever the team needs results.
6. Wydad Casablanca’s destiny is in Jwaneng Galaxy’s hands
Wydad can beat Asec 10-0 but still won’t qualify because if Simba defeats Jwaneng, it will be all over for the Moroccans. Who saw it coming? Who should be blamed for Wydad’s collapse in the middle of the season? This season will go down as one of Wydad’s horrible seasons in the last decade as their chances to win the Moroccan Botola are very slim. In their favourite CAF Champions League, the Casablanca-based club has been flat as they even lost 1-0 to the minnows Jwaneng Galaxy whom they are expecting to complete the impossible mission for them.
