Arab clubs are preparing to set foot in the group stage of the Confederation Cup

Arab clubs are seeking to put a foot forward in the group stage of the African Confederation of Football Championship, when the first leg of the second preliminary round of the continental competition begins, where they engage in confrontations of varying strength.

10 Arab clubs are participating in the current edition of the tournament, including a number of elite teams in the African continent, led by Al-Ahly of Egypt, the historic champion of the African Champions League with 12 titles, which returns to play in the Confederation of Nations after an absence of several years, as well as the Royal Moroccan Army, runner-up in the last edition of the Champions League, and its compatriot Raja Casablanca, who won the same competition three times.

Also competing for the competition title in that edition are Algeria's USM Algiers, who won the last edition of the tournament, Tunisia's CS Sfaxien, who won the competition's cup more than once, Algeria's CS Belouizdad and Libya's Al Ahly Tripoli, who are looking to pull off a surprise and win the tournament for the first time.

Al-Ahly, which won the title in 2014, opens its campaign in the competition against its host, Kitara, Uganda, where the red team goes into the match in high spirits, following its valuable and well-deserved 2-0 victory over its traditional rival, Zamalek, in its last match in the Egyptian Premier League, last Sunday.

On the other hand, the Royal Army is engaged in a confrontation that is not easy with its host, Korhogo of Ivory Coast, as the Moroccan team wants to achieve a major victory through which it will prove that it is coming strongly to compete for the title.

The same applies to Raja Casablanca, which plays host to the Nigerian Warriors, as well as USM Algiers, which faces the Panthers, the representative of Equatorial Guinea.

Sfaxien hopes to heal its local wounds, after its sudden 0-1 loss to Al Taqadr Sportive in Sakia Al Daer in its last match in the Tunisian League, last Saturday, when it goes out to meet its host, Ivorian Avad Djekano.

Sfaxien officially announced its contract with Mohamed El Kouki to supervise the technical reins of the team until the end of the current season, succeeding former coach Nabil El Kouki, whose contract was terminated by mutual consent.

As for Esperance Zarzis, the second representative of Tunisian football in the tournament this season, it hosts Real Bamako of Mali in a confrontation that is not easy for the team that is suffering from a shaky start in the Tunisian league, as it is in tenth place in the local competition standings with 6 points from 5 matches.

For its part, Egyptian ZFC, which is participating for the first time in continental competitions, faces its guest, Azzam United of Tanzania, in a match that is not easy for the young national coach, Mohamed Shawky, who dreams of being in the group stage of the tournament.

On the other hand, Al-Ahly Tripoli of Libya, which has supported its ranks with many important deals in the recent period, wants to move forward with the tournament, when it faces Welwalo Adigrat of Ethiopia.

This round witnesses a purely Arab confrontation between the Belouizdad club and the Mauritanian customs, where the Algerian team seems to be more likely to prevail, in light of the experiences its players enjoy in African championships.

Many other important meetings will be held in this round of the tournament, as South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs will play against the Zambian Red Arrows, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Maniema Union will play against Angola's Kabuscorp, and Tanzania's Singida Black Stars will play against Kenya's Tusker.

Asko Kara of Togo will meet Diarra of Mali, AS Port Louis of Mauritius will meet Durban City of South Africa, Black Bulls of Mozambique will meet Rayon Sport of Rwanda, and 1st August of Angola will meet Virunga of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.