Menzi Magubane and Timmy T Maranda
It is a big weekend for most teams in the CAF Champions League as the group stages come to an end.
With five teams already through to the quarter-finals, three more will be confirmed in this weekend’s matches.
Mamelodi Sundowns were the first team to book their ticket to the knockout stages. They are Group B winners and followed by Simba (who won Group A), Wydad Casablanca (who won Group C), and Esperance (who took Group D).
Another team already through is Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly as runners up in Group A. Many were surprised to see holders become second best to Simba in Group A.
Now they run a risk of being drawn with Group B winners Sundowns when the draw first is conducted after the end of the last matches of group stages.
On Friday, Masandawana host second place CR Belouizdad at Loftus Stadium in Tshwane at 3pm.
Kaizer Chiefs, meanwhile, will pin their hopes on Khama Billiat when they face Horoya in the final Group C match of the tournament on Saturday.
The previous match between these two sides in the group stages ended in a goalless draw.
Chiefs will be boosted by the return of Billiat from an injury suffered earlier in the season. He was an unused sub against Wydad, but came on as a substitute in the 2-2 draw against Stellenbosch on Tuesday.
Amakhosi will be missing their talisman Samir Nurkovic and keeper Daniel Akpeyi through suspension while Leonardo Castro didn’t travel with the team because of an injury suffered against Stellenbosch.
A score draw and a win will be enough for Amakhosi to qualify for the quarter-final of the competition.
The match at General Lansana Conte’ Stadium on Saturday will kick-off at 9pm SA time.
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