دوري أبطــ( 4 )ـــال إفريقيا 2010 :

APR taking nothing to chance against TP Mazembe
Uganda League champions APR are taking nothing to chance ahead of their return leg of the Orange Champions League tie against defending Champions TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
The Rwandan club has sent an advance party of officials to do some spying and also arrange before the arrival of their team. According to the Rwanda media, the club’s secretary General Adolphe Kalisa and treasurer Capt. Cammarade Murara are in DRC Congo to make all the necessary preparations.
The Rwanda champions shocked the DR Congo giants 1-0 in the first leg match played at the Amahoro stadium 11 days ago.
While a draw is enough to see APR through to the next round, TP Mazembe led by Africa’s best player Tresor Mputu, who have won the competition in 1968, 1969 and 2009, need a win to progress to the next stage.

Tiko United Still Scares Me-Caterpillar
Coach of last year’s CAF Champions League losing finalists, Heartland FC of Owerri Kelechi Emeteole, fondly called ‘Caterpillar’ in his playing days and even now has said he’s scared stiff of Cameroonian side Tiko United in this weekend’s all important second leg, second round duel in the Imo state capital, South East Nigeria.
Caterpillar, said his fear for the encounter stems from the fact that he has now known the opposition well and thinks that if his team takes the game for granted they could be defeated in their backyard in the return leg. “We’re talking of modern day football and if you can defeat an opponent on his home pitch, who says they cannot also do same on your ground.
He continued: “ the team we’re presently using for the CAF League is a very poor team and I think I need up to four new players to beef up the squad, but we have the all-important game against Tiko United to achieve that. Uche Agbo one of our best players has gone to Tunisia and Stanley Okoro is also no longer with us, so we have to be careful or we’ll regret because the team I saw in Douala, is not bad at all.
The reigning Nigerian Coach of The Year, said he has been thoroughly humbled by recent happenings in football and will not take his opponents in the weekend’s game for granted because he is desperate for the group stages of the championship. The team, he said might be doing fairly well in the Globacom Premier League, but does not have the pedigree for continental challenge yet.
“At the moment, we’re looking at the possibility of confronting SuperSport United of South Africa in the final round before the group stage, but we’re very careful to note that the team that can stop our dream is Tiko United and I learnt they have been preparing very well, so we must be careful not to stray into their trap. Ordinarily, a 2-2 away draw is exciting and in football you can go and just play for draw in the return leg but we are going to fight for every ball, ensure that our concentration is hundred percent and effectively confine them to history.”
On team’s motivation, he said it might not be perfect but that the Imo State government is doing its best to ensure that all is well within the camp of the team known in Nigeria as ‘Naze Millioniares’. There is nothing perfect at the moment, but if you want a honest comment I think the Imo state government is trying its best.
Ask Emeteole to comment on the likely outcome of the encounter in Owerri, then there is a sudden pause, followed by a determined, husky reply; “we can conquer, we’ll conquer and we’re ready to conquer for Nigerians, all we need is their prayers and support.
He revealed further that he has already penciled down four experienced players for recruitment should side overcome Tiko United and hopefully subdue SuperSport United in the last hurdle for the group stage. “If we manage to scale though to the group stages, then there will be no stopping Heartland, but for now I want to cross the hurdle called Tiko United.”

Win or bust for Mazembe, Ahly
Holders T.P. Mazembe and record winners Al-Ahly find themselves in must-win situations as the second leg matches of the 1/16th round of the Orange CAF Champions League takes place this weekend.
The two clubs suffered shocking losses in the first leg matches and can only redeem their image in the continental club championship as far as this season is concerned by overturning the results at their backyard.
All the attention will be directed at Lubumbashi and Cairo, where either an upset would be recorded or the status quo maintained. Mazembe launched their defence with a false start courtesy a lone goal loss in Kigali to Rwandan champions, APR, whilst Ahly went down courtesy a similar margin to Zimbabwean debutants, Gunners in Harare by a similar margin.
Les Corbeaux have a huge task as they face a Rwandan army side with an ambition of reaching the group phase for the first time. With a cluster of big signings in their setup, APR are miles behind the Congolese champions in that regard.
However, Dutch trainer Eric Paske remains upbeat about their chances against the best side on the continent at the moment. Paske’s hopes rest on their preliminary clash with Recreativo de Libolo of Angola, where they squeezed a lone goal victory in Luanda after 2-2 draw in Kigali.
“We were in a similar position against Recreativo and came through so I don’t see why we should not prevail against Mazembe. We need to be at our very best because Mazembe have vast experience in the competition and with stars like Tresor Mputu, Guy Lusadisu, Alain Kaluyitukadioko and Given Singuluma, we need to be alert and try to play with the right attitude,” Paske noted.
In Cairo, Ahly will be looking forward to cement their status as one of the powerhouses of continental club football against Gunners, a side promoted to the Zimbabwean elite league two years ago. The Red Devils’ bowed to then Nigerian debutants Kano Pillars last year, and Hossam Al-Badri, who took from Portuguese trainer Jose Manuel is bent on turning the tide their favour.
Despite struggling to get the record Egyptian champions to their recognized form of few years ago since taking over, Al-Badri believes Ahly will advance.
“I'm not worried at all. We are capable of overturning the deficit in the second leg and qualifying for the next round,” he stated on Ahly’s official website.
But head coach of the Zimbabwean debutants, Wellington Mpandare is the least perturbed about the prospect of facing an Ahly side, streets ahead of his side experience-wise and at their favourite grounds.
“We have plenty of time to train and acclimatize. The fact that we beat them is a motivational factor in itself and the players are geared. They know if they play well they get noticed in Africa.”

Former African champions, ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire are also engulfed in the same situation as they host Zambian champions, Zanaco after a lone goal loss from the first leg.
All roads lead to the Sudanese city of Omdurman, where champions Al-Hilal engage Africa Sports of Cote d’Ivoire where as bitterest rivals, Al-Merrikh square off Gazelle FC of Chad.
In Luanda, Angolan champions Petro Atletico will host former Africa champions, Raja Casablanca and Gaborone United are highly favoured to complete a double over Curepipie Starlight of Mauritius in the Gaborone.
Burkina Faso champions, ASFA Yennenga have a tall mountain to climb against 1994 winners Esperance of Tunisia in Ouagadougou. ASFA lost 1-4 in the first leg and at a three-goal margin victory remains the only remedy to ease past the “Red and Gold” boys and so is Reunion champions Ajesaia, who hosts Egyptian Samba boys, Ismaili in Saint-Denis with a 1-3 loss from the previous meeting.
The all-Maghrebian battle will see J.S. Kabylie of Algeria face Club Africain of Tunisia in Tizi Ouzou whilst Libyan champions Al-Ittihad trek El-Jadida as guests Difaa El-Jadida of Morocco.
Last year’s losing finalists, Heartland FC of Nigeria will come face-to-face with Cameroonian champions, Tiko United in Owerri, whilst Entente Setif and Union Douala face-off in a battle of former winners in the Northern Algerian city of Setif.
In Dakar, ASC Linguere will battle Djoliba AC of Mali, Ferraoviaro engages SuperSport in all COSAFA affair whilst Dynamos aim to complete a double over Congolose visitors, St. Eloi Lupopo.
Fixtures
TP Mazembe (DR Congo) v APR (Rwanda) (0-1)
ASC Linguere (Senegal) v Djoliba (Mali) (0-1)
Ajesaia (Madagascar) v Ismaili (Egypt) (1-3)
Al Hilal (Sudan) v Africa Sports (Cote d’Ivoire) (0-0)
Petro Atletico (Angola) v Raja Casablanca (Morocco) (0-0)
JS Kabylie (Algeria) v Club Africain (Tunisia) (1-1)
Al Merreikh (Sudan) v Gazelle (Chad) (1-1)
ASFA Yennenga (Burundi) v Esperance (Tunisia) (1-4)
Gaborone Utd (Botswana) v Curepipe Starlight (Mauritius) (3-0)
Dynamos (Zimbabwe) v St Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) (1-0)
Al Ahly (Egypt) v Gunners (Zimbabwe) (0-1)
Difaa Al Jadida (Morocco) v Al Ittihad (Libya) (1-1)
Asec Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) v Zanaco (Zambia) (0-1)
Entente Setif (Algeria) v Union Douala (Cameroon) (2-0)
Heartland (Nigeria) v Tiko Utd (Cameroon) (2-2)
Ferroviario Maputo (Mozambique) v SuperSport Utd (South Africa) (0-3)