CAIRO – The best eight of the 2021-22 season of the CAF Confederation Cup square off when the quarter finals start in earnest on Sunday.
Egyptian duo Pyramids FC and Al-Masry will be looking to secure a first-leg advantage in their CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final ties on Sunday.
Pyramids FC and Al-Masry had finished preparations in readiness for their first-leg matches against TP Mazembe of DR Congo and RS Berkane of Morocco respectively.
Al-Masry and Pyramids FC will hope to become the third Egyptian side, after Al-Ahly and Zamalek, to win the CAF Confederation Cup.
CAFonline takes a look at who plays who, and what we expect from this competitive end of the campaign.
Pyramids vs TP Mazembe, June 30 Stadium
Egyptian giants Pyramids, losing finalists from the 2019-20 season and Congolese supremos TP Mazembe will be clashing in continental football for the first time ever, but promises to be a cracker of a match with the first leg scheduled for Cairo.
Having reached back to back semis for the last two seasons, Pyramids now want to go one further and claim a continental title, and a win against a team of Mazembe’s calibre will be a huge statement of intent.
Mazembe is one of the most decorated clubs in African football, having won the Champions League five times and the Confederation Cup twice.
They haven’t been as sharp over the last few seasons, but they have a chance to show that they can rise and fly back to the helm of African football.
The Ravens are looking towards qualification and a positive result in Cairo will be a massive step towards the realization of their dream.
Al-Masry vs RS Berkane, Borg el Arab Stadium
Berkane snatched top spot in their pool on the final day of the group stages and heading into the last eight, the defending champions have just one target in sight, keeping up the defense of their title.
Masry on the other end are playing in the quarter finals for a second consecutive season and are looking to progress to the last four for the first time since 2018 when they beat Algerian side USM Alger to go throigh past the last eight.
This will also be a battle between two great African coaches, Masry’s Mouine Chaabani going head to head with experienced Congolese coach Florent Ibenge who will be standing across on the Berkane touchline.
This will be the fifth meeting between these two sides in continental football. The balances are evenly poised with each winning one of the previous four and the remaining two ending in draws.
Simba SC vs Orlando Pirates, Benjamin Mkapa Stadium
An electric atmosphere is expected at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam with the 60,000 tickets allocated for this game already sold out.
Wekundu wa Msimbazi are looking to take charge of the tie early enough at home and know only too weel the threat that comes with one of the most prolific attacks from the group stages, with Pirates having hit the back of the net 15 times in six matches.
This will be the first time the two clubs are meeting in continental football.
Pirates who have reached the Confederation Cup quarter finals for the second consecutive time will hope to advance more this time round. They will hope for the boost of an away goal and their bid will be powered by the effective Bandile Shandu, who has scored four goals so far in the tourney.
Simba will look towards their 12th man but on the pitch they will look on to the pint-sized deadly Senegalese forward Pape Ousmane Sakho and Congolese Chris Mugalu to drive their bid for a semi-final slot.
Al Ittihad vs Ahli Tripoli, Martyrs of Benina Stadium
Ittihad and Tripoli face off in a mouth watering Libyan Derby, in what is already building up as the highlight of the last eight.
Though the two sides have faced each other locally, it will be the first time that they clash in the continent and each will hope to be at their best and get the advantage from the first leg.
While on the pitch it is a duel between two Libyan teams, on the touchline, there will also be another derby of sorts with two Tunisian coaches, Mohamed Kouki of Al Ittihad and Fathi Jebal of Tripoli squaring out in the battle of tactic wits.
While Ittihad are playing the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, Ahli Tripoli are in the last eight for the first time ever, but this will be their second time in a continental quarter final having reached the last eight of the Champions League in 2017.
Sunday’s quarter-final first-leg fixtures
18:00 Simba – Tanzania vs Orlando Pirates – S. Africa
22:00 Pyramids FC – Egypt vs TP Mazembe – DR Congo
22:00 Al-Masry – Egypt vs RS Berkane – Morocco
22:00 Al-Ittihad – Libya vs Ahli Tripoli – Libya
