KITWE - Etoile du Sahel are one step away from booking their first CAF Confederation Cup semifinal spot in six years when they face Zambian side Nkana on Saturday. The 2006 winners from Tunisia visit bottom place Nkana at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe in a Group B fixture on match-day four of the competition. Etoile could advance if they can dispatch Nkana to shock home loss were they hold an unbeaten record in Africa since 1976. The Tunisians are second in Group B with five points, tied with leaders Al Ahly of Egypt, from three games played heading into this weekends match with two fixtures left to play. Etoile, though, will be very cautious of Nkana after coming from behind three times in the first leg meeting at home in Sousse on June 7 to scramble a 4-3 win. “It will be more difficult to beat Nkana now because they are bottom of the table and this game might be their last chance to get up on the table,” said new Etoile coach Dragan Cvetkovic who recently replaced Roger Lemerre. “We played them before they are not an easy team.It will be very tough match again but we are ambitious and we want to go home with a victory.” Meanwhile, hosts Nkana, who have one point from three games, know that defeat or a draw will end their interest in the competition in which they are making their debut group stage appearance. Their good record at home in Africa is undoubted although they have picked up four straight home draws in CAF Club action this year. Zamalek of Egypt and Tunisians’ CA Bizertin have both left Kitwe with barren draws and the onus will be on Etoile to break that North African drought this weekend. Nkana trace their last home win in Africa to February 15 when they beat Mbabane Swallows 5-2 in a Champions League preliminary round, return leg match.
