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Brikama United, Gamtel set for busy weekend

Mar 23, 2012, 1:50 PM | Article By: Lamin Darboe

Brikama United will be taking on African title-holders Esperance in the CAF champions league game on Saturday at the Brikama Box Bar Stadium.

Founded in 2003, Brikama are faced with the biggest match in their history when they take on long-standing opponents Esperance.

The Gambia league winners eliminated Senegal’s Ouakam in the first round of their maiden Champions League campaign. 

Brikama will be expecting a massive win against Esperance in the first leg to stand a better chance of making it to the group phase of the championship, but a defeat or draw will surely dash their hopes of reaching at that level.

Esperance is a household name in the continent’s biggest football club competition showpiece and won CAF Orange African champions league title in separate occasions.

They also took part in 2011 FIFA Club World Cup hosted in Japan but were eliminated in the first round by Asian champions Al-Saad.

Esperance beat North African rivals Wydad Casablanca of Morocco 1-0 in the all-North African derby final game of last year’s CAF African league to clinch the trophy.

They will be going for a win against the Gambian league champions Brikama United in order to stand a better chance of reaching the group phase and also defend their title.

Esperance, the two-time African champions expected in Banjul yesterday afternoon, will camp at the Sheraton Hotel in Brufut.

The return leg set to take place in Tunisia on the weekend of 6-8 April this year.

FA Cup champions Gamtel will clash with Malian champions AS Real De Banjul in the first leg of the second round game of the 2012 CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday, at the Independence Stadium.

The Malians arrived in Banjul via Senegal last afternoon and are currently camped at the Sunset Hotel.

Gamtel recently beat Cassa Sport 4-2 on post-match penalty shootout to secure a berth in the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup.

This is Gamtel’s debut appearance in the continent second-tier football competition showpiece.

They are up for a stunning performance against the Malian FA Cup champions, AS Real De Bamako, in the first leg at home soil on Sunday.

AS Real De Bamako are a familiar face in CAF champions league and CAF Confederation Cup in previous years.