Malian club Djoliba must win on Sunday but will encounter one of Africa's legendary clubs when Tunisia's Espérance come to visit the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako for a CAF Champions League clash at 16:00 GMT. The hosts need to win or they are eliminated from contention for the quarterfinals while Espérance confirm their place with a victory.
Group D Table
GP | Points | |
Espérance ST | 4 | 7 |
Pyramids FC | 4 | 7 |
Sagrada | 4 | 5 |
Djoliba | 4 | 2 |
Djoliba
The Malian giants performed well in their last Champions League match at Angolan club Sagrada but the result went against them, leaving the Bamako club on the verge of elimination. This was always the expected fate but an opportunity to face Espérance could be the big stage that inspires the players. With five goals conceded and zero goals scored in four matches, Djoliba will be eager to find the goal and bring satisfaction to their passionate supporters.
One positive for the club with regards to the attack is the recent return of star forward Zoumana Simpara. After a couple of months out due to injury, the 26-year-old played the full match against Sagrada last weekend and scored both of Djoliba's goals in the Champions League qualifying stages. In support of Simpara, the player to watch is 20-year-old attacking midfielder Kenan Glougbe who appears set for a future transfer to a larger club in Africa.
However, the lack of composure in the attack and poor finishing continues to put more pressure on the defense. Ousmane Diallo has performed well and goalkeeper Youssouf Koita is another player to watch. The high pressure at this level is only increased when the goals do not arrive and this Djoliba defense needs some support from the attacking unit.
Espérance
The Blood and Gold appeared to have first place in Group D clinched last Sunday but conceded two goals in the final minutes in a crushing 2-1 defeat to Pyramids FC in Egypt. The club is ready to move on and continue their campaign for top spot in the group where they still hold the head-to-head advantage over Pyramids if the two teams are tied on points. Head coach Laurențiu Reghecampf has proven himself to be a demanding coach and will have his team prepared to bounce back.
Reghecampf's early achievement continues to be getting the best out of unpredictable Algerian star Youcef Belaïli, who has been sensational this season. Now with Brazilian Yan Sasse healthy to operate alongside the Algerian, EST is putting the pieces together to be a formidable contender for the knockout stages. The main concern is the lack of a consistent striker while Brazilian target man Rodrigo Rodrigues remains out due to injury.
Even without veteran central defender and important leader Yassine Meriah, the defense remains strong for this stage of the competition. Algerian defender Mohamed Amine Tougai maintains the toughness and determination that Meriah brings and experienced Hamza Jelassi is proving to be a capable replacement. Of course the real strength lies in the central midfield where Houssem Tka and Roger Aholou are a strong partnership who possess experience with their national teams (Tunisia and Togo).
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