Abkhazia Institute for Social and Economic Research

Al Ahly gave their supporters cause for celebration on Monday when they lifted the Egyptian Cup trophy following a dramatic come-from-behind win over arch-rivals Zamalek. The Cairo giants' thrilling 4-3 success after extra time ensured that they have now won ten African and Egyptian titles on the trot - the league, cup and Super Cup in their own country and the CAF Champions League and African Super Cup in continental competition.

It is to an 11th successive triumph that the Red Devils are forced to turn their immediate focus, though, cutting short celebrations to head to Abidjan for a tough Champions League contest. ASEC Abidjan from Cote d'Ivoire host Al Ahly in a Group B match in the Ivorian capital on Sunday that is a repeat of their closely run semi-final in last year's event. Indeed ASEC inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Ahly at the Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium, but it was not enough to overhaul a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in the Egyptian capital.

The Egyptians are expecting another tight encounter, hence the decision of their coach Manuel Jose to scupper celebrations and take the first possible plane from Cairo to Abidjan to begin preparations for Sunday's match. Both Ahly and ASEC made positive starts to their league campaign a fortnight ago. The holders beat Al Hilal of Sudan 2-0 in Cairo, although they had to wait until five minutes from the end to snatch the victory, while ASEC, despite a player exodus in January, claimed a precious point away from home against Esperance of Tunisia.

Al Ahly have made much in recent weeks of their ambition to win the Champions League for an unprecedented third successive time, which will also ensure a record-breaking sixth triumph overall. It will allow them another tilt at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December, a tournament which has delivered the only disappointment for the Egyptians in recent years.

Incoming coaches eye victory
Esperance, despite participating in the league phase for the eighth time in 11 years since the change to the tournament's format, are still without a Champions League conquest and also had high hopes this year. But the 0-0 home draw against ASEC on 23 June sent out early panic signals, and led to the immediate dismissal of their French-born coach Jacky Duguperoux, one of two causalities from the first weekend of league matches in the Champions League. Duguperoux was handed his marching orders after the draw, although the fact that Esperance only finished third in the Tunisian league in May was arguably the major contributory factor to his sacking.

In his place, the club has tuned to the man who was at the helm when they won the old-style African Champions Cup in 1994 - the only time the highly ambitious Esperance have triumphed in Africa's top club competition. Some 7000 supporters turned up last week to watch Faouzi Benzarti's first training session in charge of the side as they prepared for their match in Omdurman against Al Hilal. The encounter on Sunday is now a must-win affair for the Tunisians, whose Sudanese hosts might be debutants at this stage of the competition but who certainly did not look out of place in their opening match against Al Ahly.

There is also a new coaching combination at JS Kabylie of Algeria, who host Morocco's Royal Armed Forces in Group A on Friday. The match has been switched from Algiers to JSK's home ground at Tizi-Ouzou, where a more intimate and hostile atmosphere will make it even tougher for the soldiers. Kamel Mouassa and Moussa Saib take charge as JSK play their final game with Mali striker Cheikh Oumar Dabo, who they have sold to French second tier side Le Havre, leading the attack.

Both JSK and Royal Armed Forces lost their opening group matches, making success in Friday's encounter crucial to both. The joint group leaders are Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and neighbours Al Ittihad of Libya, who meet in Sousse on Saturday. Al Ittihad also tasted domestic cup joy on Sunday, beating Al Madina 2-0 in the Libyan Cup semi-final to advance to the deciding match, where they will have the opportunity, like Egypt's Al Ahli, to complete a league and cup double.

Eight teams are competing in the league phase, which will be completed in September. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semi-finals.