2013 CAF Confederations Cup: Stade Malien, Etoile chasing last semi-final slot

The race for the last semi-final slot in the 2013 CAF Confederations Cup (Group A Runners-up) will be ‘a straight fight’ between Stade Malien of Mali and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.

The two will be playing in different Match Day 6 ties but their results will determine who fills the last slot as Group A Runners-up.

The Group leaders CS Sfaxien and Group B qualifiers — TP Mazembe of DR Congo and CA Bizertin of Tunisia — have already filled the first three slots.

With their Match Day 6 encounter coming up Sunday, CS Sfaxien went through to the semis with 15 points earned as at Match Day 5 a week ago.

They will determine the fate of Stade Malien, currently second on the table on seven points, when they host the Malians Sunday.

Stade Malien will also be hoping that Etoile, in third place with five points, do not win away against bottom-of-the-table St. Georges of Ethiopia.

With two points ahead, the Malians must win to guarantee their qualification as a draw could spell doom if Etoile beats St. Georges. Stade Malien and Etoile have scored three goals and conceded four each. They will also be praying that St. Georges should win at home to also guarantee qualification for them.

Whoever qualifies Sunday as Group A Runners-up will meet TP Mazembe in the two-leg semi-finals (The first lef is 4-6 Oct. and the second leg 18-20 Oct.).

The semi-final fixtures are as follows:-

CA Bizertin, Tunisia vs CS Sfaxien, Tunisia (Sfaxien to host second leg).
Runner-up Group A vs TP Mazembe, DR Congo (Mazembe to host second leg).