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Re : Esperance hopes of CAF 'clean sweep' boosted

Esperance hopes of CAF 'clean sweep' boosted

2016 CAF Confederation Cup draw conducted in Senegal. (Photo CAF Online)
 
Tunisian club Esperance had their chances of completing an African 'clean sweep' boosted this weekend after the draws for the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup knockout rounds were made in Senegal.

A preliminary round bye is followed by a home-and-away match-up with the to-be-decided Chad cup winners or African debutants New Star Douala of Cameroon.

Assuming Esperance survive that round-of-32 engagement, they would face the Seychelles cup winners, Wits of South Africa or Azam of Tanzania.

Seychellois clubs are among the weakest in Africa and Wits and Azam have mediocre CAF records from limited appearances.

Etoile Sahel of Tunisia are the only club to win all five CAF competitions -- Champions League, Confederation Cup, Super Cup and the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup and CAF Cup.

Esperance have won four, with the Confederation Cup the missing trophy, and a weak 2016 field offers the 'Blood and Gold' a realistic chance of matching Etoile.

The Tunis team are the lone survivors from the eight qualifiers for the group stage of the 2015 Confederation Cup, won by Etoile.

Etoile, Al Ahly and Zamalek of Egypt, AC Leopards of Congo Brazzaville and Stade Malien of Mali compete in the richer, more prestigious Champions League next year.

Orlando Pirates of South Africa, runners-up to Etoile, and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia did not qualify for either 2016 African club competition.

Experienced Ammar Souayah coaches Esperance and a predominantly Tunisian squad is bolstered by two Nigerians, midfielder Bernard Bulbwa and striker Emem Eduok.

Fakhreddine Ben Youssef was a Confederation Cup final winner two seasons ago with Sfaxien and the physicality of fellow striker Haythem Jouini is sure to pose an aerial threat.

Esperance are among four CAF title winners in the 51-club knockout field that will be reduced to eight ahead of play-offs against the Champions League round-of-16 losers.

FUS Rabat and Kawkab [...]
AFP