CR Belouizdad will tussle it out with Stellenbosch FC in the CAF Confederation Cup Group C match at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, Algeria on Sunday.
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Kick-off is at 9pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
The Algerian giants claimed a 3-0 win over ASM Oran in the Algerian Cup match on 15 January as they returned to winning ways, after JS Kabylie had ended their five-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
Belouizdad are placed third in the Group C standings, having recorded one win and one defeat which sees them a point behind leaders, Stellenbosch. A win over Stellies would elevate the North African side to the top of the table if the result between Singida Black Stars and AS Otoho on Sunday goes their way.
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch also returned to winning ways when they emerged as 1-0 winners over Sekhukhune United in the Betway Premiership match on January 20, as they snapped a two-match winless run.
The South African side are placed at the top of the Group C standings, having registered one win and one draw, which sees them a point above second-placed Otoho. A victory over Belouizdad would consolidate Stellies' top spot, while also edging closer to securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
TEAM NEWS
Belouizdad have been active in the current January transfer window, reinforcing their squad signing with the signings of Jean Charles Ahoua (Simba, Tanzania), Tarek Bousseder (ES Sétif, Algeria) and Salim Boukhanchouche (USM Alger, Algeria).
A four-match domestic ban imposed on Sead Ramovic by the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 Disciplinary Committee, but the Belouizdad head coach is expected to be available on the touchline for the team's match against Stellenbosch this weekend.
Stellenbosch, on the other hand, have also beefed up their squad this month with the arrivals of Mosa Lebusa and Kobamelo Kodisang (both Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa) and Tshegofatso Mabasa (Orlando Pirates, South Africa).
WHAT WAS SAID?
CR Belouizdad head coach Sead Ramovic
" There are several strong clubs in this CAF Confederation Cup, and CR Belouizdad wants to go far in this competition," Ramovic said.
"We can go far, and we will focus on each match to make our fans happy."
Stellenbosch FC head coach Gavin Hunt
“The problem is that when players come from these clubs, they haven’t trained. They said they trained, but they have big squads, so they train on the sides like Lebusa and KK (Kodisang),” Hunt said.
"I got CAF now to try and play them fit for the league and for them to be fit. I have to try and make the squad better and improve the players and the results; it’s my job. That’s going to be an ongoing fight.
“Our next games are CAF matches. If we had lost here, certainly we would have found ourselves right down at the bottom because everybody would have passed us.”
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This will be the first-ever meeting between Belouizdad and Stellenbosch.