CAF Champions League (Matchday 5): Al Ahly and Zamalek on the brink
CAF Champions League: Al Ahly in grave danger. The Egyptian giants could be knocked out as early as this Friday (Matchday 5)
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Two giants in trouble. Al Ahly and Zamalek could crash out of the CAF Champions League at the first hurdle. For Ahly, it would be a genuine earthquake. The club holds the record for titles in the competition (10). In Group B, Ahly, who are coming off a heavy 5-2 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns, sit third with just 4 points after 4 games, well behind the Sundowns (1st, 10 pts, already qualified) and Al Hilal (2nd, 9 pts). A defeat this Friday 16 March away to Cameroon's Coton Sport (4th, 0 pts) would mean elimination at the group stage. It would be a real blot on the record of the last edition's runners-up. On top of that, the Cairo club must win and also hope that on Saturday 18 March, Mamelodi Sundowns get the better of Al Hilal.
Suspense in Group D
While Group B has just one fixture this Friday, Group D has two matches. They could well settle the outcome. Espérance Tunis, 1st with 9 points, are one step away from qualification. The Tunisians need only a point away to Sudan's Al Merreikh (4th, 4 points). Zamalek, by contrast, cannot afford a slip. The Egyptians (3rd, 4 points) must win both of their final two games to stay in the hunt for the second round of the CAF Champions League. It starts this Friday away to CR Belouizdad (2nd, 6 pts), who can book their place with a win combined with an Espérance victory, or even a draw. The suspense in this group is total.
The fixtures (times in GMT)
13:00
Al Merreikh-Espérance Tunis 13:00
16:00
CR Belouizdad-Zamalek
19:00
Coton Sport-Al Ahly