Five-time winners, Zamalek look poised to seal their place at the 1/8th round when they host Cameroonian side, Union Douala in the second leg clash of the 1/16th round.
The ‘White Knights’ bagged a lone goal victory in the first leg in Douala last weekend, and are hot favourites to complete a double over their visitors when both sides clash on Saturday, 19 March 2016 at Petro Sport Stadium in Cairo.
Zamalek last tasted success in the premier continental club championship in 2002, but ended an 11-year domestic jinx by winning the Egyptian Premier League last season.
A semi-final defeat in last year’s Orange CAF Confederation Cup to eventual winners Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia means their continental dream will have to wait another year to become a reality.
After parting ways with Ahmed Hossam ‘Mido’ last month, the Cairo giants hired Scot Alex McLeish few weeks ago as coach. The former Scotland and Aston Villa manager started their continental mission with an away win, which was Zamalek's first ever victory in Cameroon.
After a goalless first half, a brilliant solo effort from Burkina Faso-import Mohamed Koffi on 58 minutes proved to be the match winner.
“It was a very difficult game”, McLeish told CAFonline.com after the first leg. “We had a tough trip to Douala. Our opponents (Union Douala) are good and a well-organized team. We were the better side and definitely deserved to win.”
McLeish warned his charges of the return leg, stating that Union Douala has nothing to lose.
“It's not going to be a walkover. Winning away doesn't mean we are qualified yet. They are going to attack here and search for a win. We have to play to win again and forget about the first leg result”, added the 57-year old coach.
“We played well in Cameroon, but I ask my players to show more in the second leg. We have to entertain our supporters and qualify to the next round in grand style”, concluded McLeish.
The winner over two legs will face either Tunisia’s Club Africain or Algerian debutants MO Bejaia at the 1/8th round.
Fixtures
Saturday, 19 March 2016
AC Leopards (Congo) vs Sundowns (South Africa) (0-2)
CNaPS (Madagascar) vs Wydad (Morocco) (1-5)
El Merreikh (Sudan) vs Warri Wolves (Nigeria) (1-0)
Vital’O (Burundi) vs Enyimba (Nigeria) (1-5)
Young Africans (Tanzania) vs APR (Rwanda) (2-1)
Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) vs OC Khouribga (Morocco) (1-1)
Ahly (Egypt) vs Recreativo do Libolo (Angola) (0-0)
Zamalek (Egypt) vs Union Douala (Cameroon) (1-0)
Sunday, 20 March 2016
ES Setif (Algeria) vs Etoile du Congo (Congo) (1-1)
Coton Sport (Cameroon) vs Stade Malien (Mali) (0-2)
Horoya (Guinea) vs Zesco United (Zambia) (1-4)
ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) vs Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) (1-0)
El Hilal (Sudan) vs Ahly Tripoli (Libya) (0-1)
MO Bejaia (Algeria) vs Club Africain (Tunisia) (0-1)
Ferroviaro (Mozambique) vs AS Vita (DR Congo) (0-1)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs St George (Ethiopia) (2-2)