CAF Confederation Cup Final: Entente Setif Aim To Be Crowning Glory For Algerian Football

ES Setif will not have to look too far for inspiration going into this year's first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final following Algeria's dramatic qualification for the 2010 World Cup, with their goalkeeper, Faouzi Chaouchi, an integral part of the national team.

Chaouchi was stand-in goalkeeper and pulled off a string of saves as Algeria pipped bitter regional rivals Egypt for the ticket to next year's World Cup in South Africa after a play-off in Sudan.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper, who is reportedly on his way to French club Olympique de Marseille, will again be between the sticks as the Black Eagles aim to become the first Algerian club since 2002 to win an international trophy.

Since JS Kabylie completed their hat-trick of successes in the now rested CAF Cup seven years ago, no Algerian club have done so again and so the pressure is now on Entente Setif, African champions in 1988, to halt this sequence.
 
On Sunday at their May 8 Stadium, Chaouchi and fellow international midfielder Khaled Lemmouchia will hope for another rewarding outing against Mali's Stade Malien.
 
The Algerian club reached the final of Africa's second club competition after they beat Nigeria's Bayelsa United 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Striker Abdelmalik Ziaya has been their key man, finding the back of the net 13 times to propel them to this final.

Stade Malien, on the other, defeated ENPPI from Egypt in their own semi-final to qualify for Sunday's clash. The Malians have shown great away form, and did not lose an away tie during the group stage of this competition.

It would also be a revenge of some sort as both finalists sent packing clubs from their opponents' country. Entente Setif beat Djoliba AC of Mali 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 tie, while Stade Malien edged past JSM Bejaia of Algeria 13-12 on penalties.
 
Entente Setif, who are sixth in the Algerian league table with 20 points, four points behind leaders MC Alger but with a game in hand, approach this final in the best of shapes after engaging Moroccan club Raja Casablanca last week in the semi-final second leg clash of UNAF (Union of Arab Football Union) Cup of Champion Clubs.
 
Les Blancs from Mali, on the other hand, prepared for this game by beating Africa Sports of the Ivory Coast 2-0 in a warm-up game in Bamako. They were losing finalists in the 1964 edition of the defunct Africa Cup of Champion Clubs, and thus are still gunning for their first-ever international trophy.

The return leg final is fixed for Bamako on Saturday, December 5, with the overall winner pocketing a cash prize of $660,000 and the right to tackle CAF Champions League holders, TP Mazembe, in next year’s prestigious Super Cup.

Samm Audu, Goal.com