CAF Champions League Preview: Tunisian rivals go head-to-head

Rivals ES Tunis and CS Sfaxien face each other this weekend in the third round of fixtures in the CAF Champions League group stages.

For the first time this season there will be an all-Tunisian clash in Africa’s elite club competition, with two-time winners Tunis going into Sunday’s game as underdogs after losing their opening two Group B encounters.

In stark contrast, Sfaxien – who finished as runners-up to Tunis in the Tunisian Ligue 1 last season – lead the way with four points from two games. However, Tunis have won three of their last four league matches with Sfaxien, but this will be their first continental meeting.

Sfaxien, runners-up in the 2006 Champions League, are unbeaten in their last five away games in the Champions League and have only conceded three goals during that run.

The other game in Group B sees ES Setif, who are only behind Sfaxien on goal difference, host Al Ahli Benghazi in Algeria.

Al Ahli will have to work out a plan to stop El Hedi Belameiri if they are to take at least a share of the points on Saturday, the Algerian forward has struck in both group games so far and has netted in each of his five outings in the competition in 2014.

Things are much closer in Group A as all four sides are level on four points and remarkably all have a goal difference of zero.

Egyptian giants Zamalek occupy top spot and are looking to claim their sixth Champions League title this season.

After starting with a surprise defeat to Congolese side V.Club, Zamalek bounced back with a 2-1 win over Al Hilal Omdurman last time out. Next up are TP Mazembe this weekend.

Zamalek travel to Lubumbashi on Sunday hoping to inflict a first home defeat in the competition on TP Mazembe, themselves four-time winners, since October 2009.

Meanwhile, Al Hilal Omdurman entertain V.Club in what will be the first time the teams have played each other.

Al Hilal only made it through to the group stages on away goals against Leopards de Dolisie.