<h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong><em>A heavily depleted Al Ahly squad visits Mali this weekend wanting to build on a great start to the CAF Confederation Cup group phase in defence of the title.</em></strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">The Egyptians, winners of a record 19 African titles, play Stade Malien two weeks after thumping Tunisians Esperance 3-0 in the main attraction of that round of games.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Stade lost 1-0 the same weekend at Tunisians Etoile Sahel, had a player red-carded to boot, and would have suffered a heavier loss but for inspired goalkeeping from Djigui Diarra.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">However, Ahly have never won an away group game in the second-tier competition and the absence of seven stars is a major blow to coach Fathy Mabrouk.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Suspensions rule out midfielders Hossam Ashour and Mohamed Hany and winger Walid Soliman.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Midfielders Mohamed Rezk and Islam Roshdi are barred from travelling outside Egypt because they are due to report for military service.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">And injuries have sidelined winger Karim Bambou and Nigeria-born striker Peter Ebimobowei.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">This leaves Mabrouk with only one natural central midfielder -- former Tottenham Hotspur footballer Hossam Ghaly</p> <p style="text-align: justify">An added challenge for Ahly is that the Bamako clash with 2009 Confederation Cup winners Stade kicks off Sunday at 1630 local time.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">This is several hours before Muslims break a daily dawn-to-dusk fast during the holy month of Ramadan.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I will not force my players to stop fasting and eat before the game although they have a license to do so," stressed Mabrouk.</p> . <p style="text-align: justify">"Our final training session will be held at the same time as the match so the players can get used to the conditions "</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The other Group A fixture is a Tunisian derby between Esperance and Etoile Saturday in Tunis suburb Rades.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">On-going post-Arab Spring security concerns led authorities to impose a 30,000 crowd ceiling, meaning the national stadium will be half full.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Etoile must face their arch domestic rivals without Algeria-born leading scorer Baghdad Bounedjah, one of many North African stars who have recently moved to the more lucrative Middle East.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">As if being hammered by Ahly was not sufficiently depressing, new Esperance coach Jose Anigo from France had a training session interrupted by disgruntled supporters.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">South Africans Orlando Pirates host Egyptians Zamalek Saturday in north-eastern city Nelspruit -- 380 kilometres from their unavailable Soweto ground -- in a top-of-the-table Group B clash.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The Buccaneers secured a lone-goal victory over AC Leopards 1-0 on a Congolese 'cabbage patch' while Burkinabe Abdoulaye Cisse snatched a late winner for the White Knights against Tunisian visitors CS Sfaxien.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Confederation Cup winners a record three times, Sfaxien host Leopards Friday in a match neither club dare lose after losing starts.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Leopards will make the long trip north as underdogs, but they stunned hosts Sfaxien 2-0 three years ago en route to winning the competition.</p>