Former Ghana national coach James Kwesi Appiah faces a new test as he leads Al Khartoum against Zambia’s Power Dynamos in a 2015 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round tie this weekend.
Appiah, who was the Black Stars assistant coach between 2007-2012 before leading the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has only been in-charge of the Sudan side for two months.
A total of 22 other matches will be on card with Uganda’s URA FC hosting Elgeco Plus from Madagascar on Friday.
“We need to make sure we can comfortably win the first leg match at home before traveling for the return leg,” URA FC Coach Alex Isabirye told AfricanFootball.com.
The likes of Frank Kalanda and Cranes striker Robert Ssentongo are expected to lead the URA FC side.
Sam Timbe, who has been very successful as a coach in the East and Central African region will lead Kenya’s Sofapaka FC against Zimbabwe’s Platinum FC in Nairobi. Ex-Uganda Cranes midfielder Johnson Bagoole is expected to feature for Sofapaka FC in that match.
In South Africa Bidvest Wits will host Royal Leopards from Swaziland on Saturday, while Ghana’s Hearts of Oak face AS Police from Benin.
Tanzania Vodafone Premier League table leaders Young Africans will play host to Botswana’s BDF XI, and Rwanda’s Rayon Sport travel to face Cameroon’s Pantehre du Nde. Rayon Sports Captain Fuadi Ndayisenga will need to pass a late fitness test to be able to play.
The Rwanda team left on Wednesday without midfielders Sina Jerome and new signing Pierrot Kwizera who joined the team after the names for the tournament had be submitted to CAF.
The teams that got byes to the next round include; Djoliba (Mali) Asec Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), Zamalek (Egypt), F.U.S (Morocco), AS Vita (DR Congo), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Ahli Shendi (Sudan), Club African (Tunisia) and E.S.S (Tunisia).