CAF Cup: ASPAC defends its 3-1 lead, USM Alger in sight

ASPAC plays on Wednesday, September 16, for its qualification to the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup against The Panthers FC. The Beninese club approaches the return leg with the advantage of a 3-1 victory from the first match and knows that a ticket to the next round would see it face USM Alger.

The CAF has scheduled the ASPAC–The Panthers match for 15:00 GMT, which is 16:00 in Cotonou and Lomé. The Beninese representative holds a two-goal lead after overturning the Equatorial Guinean team in the first leg played on neutral ground in Douala.

In the first leg, ASPAC won 3-1 after conceding the opening goal in the 28th minute. The Portuaires equalized in the 58th minute before Arnaud Tchalla gave them the lead in the 70th minute, and Anike Chinonso scored the third goal in the 88th minute.

This result allows ASPAC to qualify with either a win or a draw. A loss by a single goal would also suffice. The Panthers, on the other hand, must overcome a two-goal deficit to revive the contest.

The CAF’s draw adds an extra incentive to this return leg. The winner of the two-legged tie between The Panthers and ASPAC will face USM Alger, which received a bye in the first round, in the second preliminary round. The first leg matches of this stage are scheduled from October 16 to 18, with the return legs from October 23 to 25.

The CAF indicates that 24 clubs from the first round will join eight teams that received byes in the next round. USM Alger is among these eight teams directly qualified for this stage of the competition.