Entente Setif seek to emulate Desert Foxes - Orange Confederation Cup 2009

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Entente Setif seek to emulate Desert Foxes

11-29-2009

Entente Setif seek to emulate Desert Foxes

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Algerian champions, Entente Setif will seek inspiration from the success of the national team, Desert Foxes, as they host Stade Malien of Mali on Sunday, in this year’s Orange Confederation Cup final first leg.

With the whole country in a festive mood following the qualification of the Desert Foxes to the South Africa 2010 World Cup at the expense of bitterest rivals, Egypt in the only African playoff; the attention will be shifted to club level where Entente Setif is hoping to become the first Algerian club since 2002 to annex a continental silverware.

Since J.S. Kabylie completed their hat-trick of successes in the defunct CAF Cup in 2002, no Algerian club has come thus far, and the onus lies on Entente Setif, African champions in 1988 to break that jinx.

The Black Eagles as Entente Setif are nicknamed will be banking heavily on Olympique Marseille-bound goalkeeper Faouzi Chanouchi and midfielder Khaled Lemmouchia, both members of the victorious Desert Foxes squad as they seek for a convincing win at their favourite May 8, 1945 Stadium in the northeastern Algeria town of Setif, to make the second leg a mere formality.

From the onset, the Northern Algeria-based club made clear their intent for the ultimate prize in the second tier continental club championship, with exhilarating performances and nothing short of the 660,000 US Dollars prize money will be considered a failure.

Entente Setif squeezed past Nigerian champions, Bayelsa United on a 2-1 aggregate at the last four and will probably face their biggest test in a Stade Malien side, yet to lose away since the group phase.

The impressive away record of Les Blancs is expected to serve a major headache for Black Eagles trainer Ali Mechiche, who will be relying on the attacking prowess of marksman Abdelmalek Ziaya, scorer of 13-goals to cruise to victory.

Ziaya, has an interesting striking rate of at least a goal per match and Stade Malien coach Djibril Drame must devise an antidote to halt the 25-year old, who looks set to finish as top scorer in the continental club championship.

The encounter has been dubbed “a revenge mission’ as both Entente Setif and Stade Malien eliminated Malian and Algerian clubs respectively during the knockout stages. Entente Setif beat Djoliba AC of Mali 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 tie from both legs at the ultimate eliminatory stage, whilst Stade Malien eased past JSM Bejaia 13-12 on penalties at the 1/8^th stage.

Entente Setif, who occupy the sixth position on the Algerian league standings on 20 points, four points adrift of leaders MC Alger and with a game in hand, approach the game in the best of shapes after engaging Moroccan club Raja Casablanca last Tuesday in the semifinal second leg clash of UNAF (Union of Arab Football Union) Cup of Champions Clubs.

Les Blancs, on the otherhand fine-tuned their preparations with a 2-0 win over former Ivorian champions, Africa Sports in a friendly game in Bamako . The Bamaka-based side, losing finalists in the 1964 edition of the defunct Africa Cup of Champion Clubs, now Orange CAF Champions League, are aiming for their first ever continental triumph.

The second leg is slated for Bamako on Saturday, December 5 and the winner of the two-legged encounter will also face Orange CAF Champions League winners, T.P. Mazembe in next year’s Orange Super Cup.

Fixture

11-29-2009 18:00 Entente Setif ( Algeria ) vs. Stade Malien ( Mali )

RESULTS

Djoliba AC