Win or bust for former African champions Etoile

Tunisian club Etoile Sahel must triumph against Democratic Republic of Congo giants Tout Puissant Mazembe this weekend to keep alive hopes of a second African Champions League title.

The ‘Red Devils’ trail the ‘Crows’ by two points going into the final-round Group B showdown and need maximum points to secure a place in the semi-finals of a competition offering a 1.5-million-dollar first prize.

A draw will suffice for Mazembe at Kenya Stadium in the southern mining city of Lubumbashi in a fixture that pits the only former champions to survive the qualifying phase against each other.

Heartland and Kano Pillars of Nigeria and Al-Hilal of Sudan clinched the other places last weekend when Al-Merreikh of Sudan, Monomotapa of Zimbabwe and Zesco United of Zambia were eliminated.

However, the final placings in both groups have to be settled, leaving much to play for Saturday and Sunday when Merreikh host Kano, Zesco welcome Hilal and Monomotapa entertain Heartland.

Hilal lead Group A on goal difference from Kano after both collected 10 points from five matches while Heartland hold a one-point advantage over Mazembe with Etoile a further two adrift.

With defending champions Al-Ahly of Egypt topping a shock casualties list after three rounds of qualifiers, Etoile became slight favourties to win a second title within three years.

But a 2-1 reverse at African rookies Monomotapa got the reign of new coach Lotfi Rhim off to a disastrous start and it was even worse in Nigeria with Heartland dishing out a 3-0 hiding.

Usually potent in the Mediterranean resort of Soussse, Etoile surrendered a further two points when held 0-0 by Heartland and the odds are stacked against the Tunisians surviving in DR Congo.

Etoile suffer from severe ‘travel sickness’, winning only eight of 36 away games in the African Champions League, while Mazembe are virtually invincible on a home pitch that often resembles a dustbowl.

The Congolese club founded by Benedictine monks in 1939 last lost at home in the Champions League 21 years ago when a solitary goal brought Angolan visitors Petro Atletico success.

Dioko Kaluyituka is the joint leading scorer in the competition this year with seven goals, one more than fellow Mazembe midfielder Mputu Mabi, while only Ammar Jemal has netted more than once for Etoile.

“Our problem is scoring as we have improved during the group phase. We have not given up because mathematically there is still a chance of reaching the semi-finals,” Rhim told the Tunisian media.

Cash-strapped Monomotapa will be trying to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat when Heartland visit Harare seeking three points that will guarantee they stay top of the table.

Kano skipper and defender Bala Mohammed and midfielder Solomon Okpako miss the visit to Omdurman because of suspension while combative Zesco seek their first home win in the pool phase.