JSKabylie in a do-or-die situation against Motema Pembe

The race for semi-final slots in the Confederation Cup resumes on Friday with Algeria's JS Kabylie hosting the DR Congo's DC Motema Pembe.

The Algerians need maximum points to avoid elimination, following a 2-1 home defeat by Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars a fortnight ago.

Sunshine Stars will be virtually assured of a semi-final place if they defeat Moghreb Fes in Morocco on Saturday.

Sunshine Stars are on top of group B.

Their victory over Kabylie away and an earlier defeat of Motema Pembe at home put the debutants on the pedestal.

Moghreb have four points and Motema Pembe one, while Kayblie are surprisingly pointless despite a proud record that includes six African titles.

Although Sunshine Stars coach Gbenga Ogunbote has insisted for months that his squad fear no rival in the second-tier African competition and are capable of going all the way, few observers took notice until the come-from-behind 2-1 win at Kabylie.

Emmanuel Sunday equalised with his third Confederation Cup goal of the season and Sakibu Atanda claimed his first of the African campaign to boost the chances of Sunshine becoming the first Nigerian club to lift the trophy.

“We may be competing in Africa for the first time and we accept that no one gives up a chance of lifting the trophy, but we fear no team,” stressed Ogunbote ahead of the journey to north-west Africa.

Moghreb are hoping to become the third Moroccan winners of the Cup after Rabat sides FAR and FUS and after a late home victory over Kabylie they fought back to hold Motema Pembe in Kinshasa.

Fes have scored more goals than any other contender for the 660,000-dollar first prize with 12 of the 16 coming at home, including a Tarik Sektioui hat-trick in the 5-1 demolition of Sudanese visitors Al-Khartoum.

The other group is tighter with three points separating InterClube of Angola from bottom team ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast, who have secured just one point from two outings.

Like Kabylie, ASEC need nothing short of three points to remain in contention, and playing in Abidjan should give them the edge over combative Nigerians Kaduna United.

Club Africain of Tunisia, who exceeded expectations by drawing at ASEC only to flop at home when held goalless by Kaduna, confront InterClube in North Africa and a victory could lift them to the top of the table.