Zamalek face a tricky trip to Kinshasa

Weekend fixturesOrlando Pirates vs Zanaco Entente Setif vs ASFA Yennega Union Douala vs FUS Al Hilal vs Sewe San Pedro Coton Sport vs AF Amadou Diallo Stade Malien vs Casa Sport AC Leopards vs Kano Pillars TP Mazembe vs Mochudi C.Chiefs AS Vita Club vs Zamalek Rangers vs Vital’O Al Merreikh vs Recreativo de LiboloAsante Kotoko vs JSM Bejaïa EST vs Primeiro de Agosto Djoliba AC vs Saint George Dynamos vs C.A.B Al Ahly vs Tusker JOHANNESBURG – With the lucrative group phase of the CAF Champions League just three games away, there is plenty at stake for the 32 clubs involved in this weekend’s return legs of the first qualifying round. Most of the favourites take a comfortable lead into the game, but for a few there is still some work to be done. And for the outsiders left in the competition, there is the dream of knocking out a fancied club. The eventual winner of the competition will represent the continent at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco at the end of the year.Match of the weekAl Ahly vs Tusker FCTaking a 2-1 lead from the away leg into their match in Alexandria against Tusker FC, the seven-times champions Al Ahly are favourites to advance to the second round. The Egyptian team could be without influential midfielder Hossam Ashour, who did not play in a mid-week match due to tooth problems. There was some good news though as coach Hossam El-Badry welcomed back experienced defender Sayed Moawad, who was out for several months with a foot injury. Their opponents though, are confident that they can become the first Kenyan team since 2001 to go through to the final qualifying round. No Kenyan side has ever won in Egypt, but captain Joseph Shikokoti is cautiously optimistic. “I am certain that we will have a good game. I am hoping that everything turns out right,” he said. “The squad is in good spirits, so we shall see.”Other matchesOne of the favourites who face a tough hurdle are five-time champions Zamalek, who take a slender 1-0 lead into their away match in Congo DR against AS Vita Club. The in-form visitors are looking towards 21-year-old striker Mohamed Ibrahim and Ahmed Gaafar, who scored the winner in the first leg, to keep them in the competition. Four-time winners TP Mazembe won their away leg in Botswana against Mochudi Centre Chiefs 1-0, and are thus favoured to advance to the next round. Among the other first-leg victors were 2008 finalists Coton Sport, who won 1-0 in Côte d’Ivoire against AFAD Djekanou, and Stade Malien, who won 2-1 at Senegalese club Casa Sport.Both Tunisian clubs in the competition are well placed to advance. Esperance, who won the event in 1994 and 2011, are 1-0 up against Primeiro de Agosto after their away game, while CA Bizertin secured a healthy 3-0 first-leg lead at home against Zimbabwean club Dynamos. Moroccan club FUS Rabat also take a 3-0 lead into their away clash in Cameroon against Union Douala. But not all North African clubs will find it easy as JSM Bejaia face an uphill battle. The Algerian side played to a goalless draw at home against Ghanaians Asante Kotoko and have to score in Kumasi to go through. The home side will be without left-back Ben Adama, who received a second booking in the first leg and is suspended for one game.Player to watchIt was only last weekend that Nigeria’s Shehu Abdullahi was participating for the Flying Eagles in the African U-20 championships in Algeria. A week later, the defensive midfielder seems set to play his part in his club Kano Pillars’ Champions League campaign. Having won the first leg against AC Leopards 4-1, Pillars’ officials have said that the talented youngster will - most probably - be thrown in at the deep end against the Congolese club.