Desabre Confident of Turning Round Esperance
French coach Sebastien Desabre says he can rescue Tunisian club Esperance this weekend after a disastrous start to the CAF Champions League group phase.
The two-time African title-holders were favourites to win Group B, but are bottom of the table after matchday 2 following two shock losses.
Esperance suffered the rare humiliation of a home defeat when falling 2-1 against Algerians Entente Setif last month.
And the 'Blood and Gold' were stunned again a week later as they slumped 3-2 to group debutants Al-Ahly Benghazi, who were forced to play a home game in Tunisia because of Libyan lawlessness.
Shattered Esperance sacked Dutch coach Ruud Krol, elevated Desabre from a senior post within the club, and now expect him to stop the rot when they host fellow Tunisians CS Sfaxien.
"I did not want to replace Ruud as coach, but the club chairman persuaded me to take over," Desabre admitted to the Tunisian media.
"We can still finish among the top two clubs and qualify for the semi-finals -- otherwise I would not have taken on this mission.
"Catching our rivals will not be easy after such a poor start. However, I have total trust in my squad to salvage the situation.
"Esperance defeated Sfaxien home and away en route to winning the Tunisian championship this season and we can also beat them in the CAF Champions League."
The bearded 37-year-old coach knows the premier pan-African club competition well having guided Cameroonians Coton Sport to the 2013 semi-finals.
Sfaxien, an unfashionable side lacking the big-name footballers Esperance possess in abundance, defeated Benghazi and held Setif to top Group B on goal difference.
Esperance hope giant Cameroonian striker Yannick N'Djeng can regain his scoring appetite while four-goal Fakhreddine Ben Youssef is the leading Sfaxien marksman.
Setif host Benghazi, whose caused the biggest shock of the three-round qualifying competition by eliminating defending champions and namesakes Al-Ahly from Egypt.
The game brings together two leading scorers this season with El Hedi Belameiri playing for the Setif 'Black Eagles' and Zimbabwean Edward Sadomba for the Benghazi 'Butchers'.
Zamalek coach Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam says the Egyptian 'White Knights' must triumph in away games if they are to reach the semi-finals as Group A winners.
"I believe my players are capable of winning away as well as at home," the 31-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur striker told the Egyptian media.
The Cairo club visit Lubumbashi to confront Democratic Republic of Congo outfit TP Mazembe in a match-up featuring clubs who have won the Champions League nine times between them.
All four matches in Group A have been won by the hosts with Zamalek leading on goals scored, and that trend could continue.
Sudanese El-Hilal host another DR Congo team, Vita Club, and want to get back on the winning trail under Brazilian coach Paulo Campos after losing narrowly at Zamalek.
Photo Credit: http://www.jeuneafrique.com/
Source: Agence France Presse
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