Nkana Defenders Under Fire As Rahimi CAF Cup Threat Looms

Johannesburg, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :Nkana of Zambia coach Kelvin Kaindu has slammed his defence as they prepare to face clinical finisher Soufiane Rahimi from Raja Casablanca of Morocco Wednesday in the CAF Confederation Cup.

"Had it not been for (goalkeeper) Moses Mapulanga it would have been even worse as our defending was atrocious," he said, referring to a 3-0 matchday 1 hiding from Pyramids in Egypt last week.

Rahimi starred for winners Morocco at the recent African Nations Championship in Cameroon, winning the player of the tournament and leading scorer awards.

Here, AFP Sport previews matchday 2 with the first and second seeds in the four groups seeking to build on good starts with seven winning in the African equivalent of the Europa League.

Group A This is the toughest section with Orlando Pirates of South Africa set to prove the strongest third seeds having started with an away draw against fellow former African champions Entente Setif of Algeria.

The Soweto outfit host top seeds Enyimba of Nigeria and can pose multiple threats as 14 players have scored for the Buccaneers in all competitions this season, including pacey Namibian Deon Hotto.

Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya, who continue to be handicapped by having to play home matches in Egypt for security reasons, face a Setif side that have failed to score in their last two CAF matches.

Group B Renaissance Berkane of Morocco are away to Coton Sport in Garoua with the match promising to be the first major test for the 'Orange Boys' as they seek back-to-back Confederation Cup titles.

The clash will feature two stars who have scored three CAF goals each this season -- 35-year-old Moroccan Mouhcine Iajour and Cameroonian Lambert Araina, who is 13 years younger.

NAPSA Stars of Zambia, who are competing in Africa for the first time, play vastly experienced JS Kabylie of Algeria, whose Badreddine Souyah has scored in their last three CAF matches.

Group C Salitas of Burkina Faso host twice Confederation Cup winners Etoile Sahel of Tunisia in a game that brings together two of the most prolific scorers in the competition this season.

Burkinabe Olivier Boissy of Salitas and Ivorian Souleymane Coulibaly of Etoile have notched four goals each, although the former drew a blank in matchday 1 while the latter was absent.

The other Tunisian contenders, record three-time Confederation Cup title-holders CS Sfaxien, are also in west Africa, to meet ASC Jaraaf of Senegal.

Group D Nkana put a brilliant record of never losing in 64 home CAF matches on the line against 2018 Confederation Cup winners Raja, who boast a formidable strike force.

Apart from Rahimi, coach Jamal Sellami can call on Mouhcine Moutouali, Mahmoud Benhalib and Democratic Republic of Congo-born Ben Malango.

Pyramids take a perfect five-victory record in Africa this season to Namungo of Tanzania, whose Stephen Sey is the joint leading scorer with five goals.