Tunisian giants eye return to winning ways, Pirates to make history in Libya

Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel and CS Sfaxien will be eyeing a return to winning ways when the 2020-21 Caf Confederation Cup season resumes this weekend.

All 16 teams will be in action on Sunday with matches scattered across the African continent.

Orlando Pirates will become the first club side to play on Libyan soil since the Confederation of African Football (Caf) lifted a decade-long ban on the country, imposed due to civil unrest in the North African nation.

The Libya national team were allowed to host Tunisia in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Martyrs of February Stadium last week and Al Ahli Benghazi will welcome the Buccaneers at the very same venue.

Before receiving the go-ahead from Caf, Libya and its clubs competing in African club competitions had been forced to play their home games in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Mali.

Pirates top group A after two rounds of fixtures, following a dramatic 2-1 win over Enyimba last month in which Tshegofatso Mabasa scored a late winner. The victory moved the Buccaneers a point clear of the Nigerian giants and Al-Ahli who defeated ES Setif 1-0 in Cairo.

In group B, defending CafCC champions RS Berkane will be hoping for a return to winning ways after they slumped to a 2-0 loss at Cotonsport before the international break.

Berkane host JS Kabylie in Morocco on Sunday evening while Cotonsport are away to Zambian club side NAPSA Stars.

Group C is equally as competitive as A and B, with record three-time champions CS Sfaxien dropping points away to ASC Jaraaf last month in a 1-1 draw while their Tunisian rivals and two-time champions, Etoile du Sahel, suffered a shock 1-0 defeat away to Salitas in Ouagadougou.

Etoile will host Sfaxien in Rades in a repeat of the 2018-19 group stage showdown. Both teams reached the semifinals that year before losing to Berkane and Zamalek respectively. Sfaxien won home and away against their fierce rivals that season.

Something has got to give in group D when Raja Casablanca welcome last season's losing finalists Pyramids FC. The two teams remain the only two clubs with a 100 per cent record heading into matchday three following back-to-back wins to start the campaign.

FULL LIST OF WEEKEND FIXTURES, SUNDAY 4 APRIL (ALL TIMES CAT SA, GMT+2):

3pm - Enyimba vs ES Setif
3pm - Namungo vs Nkana
3pm - NAPSA Stars vs Cotonsport
6pm - Etoile du Sahel vs CS Sfaxien
6pm - Jaraaf vs Salitas
6pm - Raja Casablanca vs Pyramids FC
9pm - Al Ahly Benghazi vs Orlando Pirates
9pm - RS Berkane vs JS Kabylie