ES Setif, USM Alger and MC El Eulma gunning for an African Champions League first for Algeria

When the second legs of the round of 16 elimination stage are played this weekend, Algeria will be looking to be the first to place three clubs in the African Champions League last eight.

Title-holders ES Setif lead a three-prong Algerian challenge this weekend for African Champions League group places.

Setif are sitting relatively comfortably against three-time champions Raja Casablanca having drawn 2-2 in Morocco two weeks ago.

Compatriots USM Alger and MC El Eulma face potentially trickier passages to the last-eight stage of the elite African club football competition.

Alger hold a 2-1 advantage over Guineans AS Kaloum, who must host the round-of-16, second leg in neighbouring Mali because of the Ebola epidemic.

Eulma are slightly better off as they did not concede a goal at home when winning 1-0 against vastly more experienced Tunisian outfit CS Sfaxien.

Setif, Alger and Eulma are hoping to create history as three clubs from the same country have never made it to the Champions League group stage.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Tunisia did best with two clubs, and all three nations have two challengers for group places this weekend.

TP Mazembe, the most successful DR Congo club in Africa with four Champions League titles, host Stade Malien following a 2-2 draw in Mali.

But compatriots SM Sanga Balende, making a rare CAF appearance, are in trouble having lost 1-0 at home to Sudanese Al Hilal Omdurman.

Egyptian contenders Al Ahly and Smouha face identical tasks having lost 1-0 away to Moroccans Moghreb Tetouan and Congolese AC Leopards respectively.

Record eight-time African champions Ahly and newcomers Smouha must also share the handicap of playing in empty stadiums owing to security concerns.

Esperance Tunis are the other Tunisian challengers and trail Al Merreikh 1-0 from the first leg in Sudan.

Holders Setif led twice through Mohamed Benyettou goals away to Raja before settling for a 2-2 draw before a capacity 80,000 Casablanca crowd.

Holding Casablanca convinced captain and midfielder Mourad Delhoum that his club can emulate Ahly, Mazembe and Nigerians Enyimba and successfully defend the title.

“The international experience we have accumulated recently has had a positive effect on the team,” he said.

“It was no mean feat holding Raja in front of their supporters and we deserved the draw having given an excellent performance.

“That draw moves us one significant step closer to qualifying for the group stage.”

Raja, whose last Champions League title came 16 years ago, are desperate for African success as their poor domestic campaign draws to a close.

“We are focusing on the Champions League to salvage our season,” said Yassine Salhi, a midfielder and scorer of the first equaliser against Setif.

“Raja can win in Algeria and qualify for the group stage, fulfilling some of the aspirations of our team and our wonderful supporters.”

But tradition is against the Moroccans, who lost to Mouloudia Oran (1989) and JS Kabylie (2006) on previous Champions League visits to Algeria.

While Alger seek a return to Champions League group action after a long absence, Kaloum are hoping to become the first qualifiers from Guinea.

Overall success for Eulma, who are coached by 77-year-old Frenchman Jules Accorsi, would mean a last-eight berth at the first attempt.

Ahly are trying to avoid a second successive last-16 exit having fallen to Libyan namesakes Al Ahly Benghazi last year, also after a 1-0 first-leg defeat on the road.

Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido must surely adopt a more positive approach in Cairo, having played without a striker in Tetouan.

It was a decision that angered veteran striker Emad Moteab, scorer of two round-of-32 goals against APR in Rwanda but not even included in the squad for Morocco.

Alexandria-based African debutants Smouha have to overcame a one-goal first-leg deficit for the third consecutive round.

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