Feature Match:
TP Mazembe v Al Ahly
Live coverage from 1400GMT on Saturday

African Champions Al Ahly of Egypt need a win in Lubumbashi on Saturday to maintain hopes of defending their title.

But their task could not be more difficult.

They face TP Mazembe, the DR Congo side which is top of the group and is looking the in-form team.

Ahly beat Mazembe in Cairo two weeks ago, but only by a goal to nil, and return leg is a completely different proposition.

The pitch in Lubumbashi is notoriously bumpy and favours big, strong players using the long-ball game, which suits Mazembe perfectly.

Ahly's win a fortnight ago was their first after a shock home defeat to Jeanne d'Arc of Senegal and an away loss to Raja Casablanca.

Changing allegiance

Even a draw would leave them struggling to make the semi-finals.

TP Mazembe coach Joseph Mukeba said on Wednesday that he was not going to make life easy the Egyptians: "Ahly had a lot of chances against us in Cairo but in Lubumbashi we are going to win easily."

Cairo rivals Zamalek and Tunisia's Esperance will book their places in the last four if they win their group B fixtures.

Zamalek should be the first to make it, playing Costa do Sol of Mozambique in Cairo on Friday.

Costa have lost all their games and conceded eight goals.

But Esperance, joint leaders with Zamalek, face a more difficult challenge against Asec Abidjan on Sunday in Ivory Coast.

Asec, champions in 1999, need to win to have a realistic chance of reaching the last four.

Ironically, the Tunisian side will be looking to two Ivorian internationals to play a key part in the game.

Goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie and striker Kandia Traore both played against South Africa in Nations Cup qualifying last weekend and stayed on in Ivory Coast to await their club team-mates.

Raja Casablanca, who lost to Mazembe in their opening game, are expected to continue their recovery when they host Senegal's Jeanne d'Arc on Sunday.