Benghazi Face Pirates in First CAF Club Match in Libya since 2010

Namibia and Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto (L) playing against South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. (AFP)
Namibia and Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto (L) playing against South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. (AFP)
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Benghazi Face Pirates in First CAF Club Match in Libya since 2010

Namibia and Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto (L) playing against South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. (AFP)
Namibia and Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto (L) playing against South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. (AFP)

Al Ahly Benghazi will become the first Libyan club since 2010 to host a CAF club match when they tackle South African visitors Orlando Pirates Sunday in the Confederation Cup.

Deadly violence in the post-Moammar al-Gaddafi era forced Libyan national teams and clubs to stage home matches in other north African countries, mostly Tunisia and Egypt.

A recent United Nations-supervised deal has restored calm to the country and Benghazi hosted an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia last week.

Here, AFP Sport previews matchday 3 in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League with the first and second seeds in the four groups meeting.

Group A
Former Pirates star Joseph Makhanya has advised German coach Josef Zinnbauer to sharpen his attack and lay siege to the Benghazi goalmouth in pursuit of maximum points.

Makhanya told the Sowetan newspaper that the experiment of using Namibia winger Deon Hotto as a central forward must end, and he wants Tshegofatso Mabasa and Malawian Frank Mhango chosen as a twin strike force.

"The way Pirates have been playing is like going to war and leaving your weapons at home," said Makhanya of a team that has netted seven times in five CAF matches this season.

Group B
Title-holders Renaissance Berkane of Morocco will look to 35-year-old Mouhcine Iajour for goals as they seek to bounce back from a loss at Coton Sport of Cameroon when they host leaders JS Kabylie of Algeria.

The Orange Boys have scored four goals in their latest African campaign and three have come from the veteran forward, who played in Switzerland, Belgium, Qatar and Saudi Arabia before returning home.

It is win or bust for bottom club NAPSA Stars of Zambia when they host a Coton team with an impressive CAF away record this season of three wins from four matches.

Group C
The clash between Etoile Sahel and frontrunners CS Sfaxien in Rades pits Tunisian clubs with outstanding Confederation Cup records against each other.

Sfaxien have won the competition a record three times and Etoile twice and both have also been runners-up since the competition launched in 2004.

Both sides hope leading scorers -- Souleymane Coulibaly of Etoile and Firas Chaouat of Sfaxien -- can put recent barren outings behind them.

Group D
Something has to give when Raja Casablanca of Morocco face Pyramids of Egypt as they are the only clubs among the 16 in the group phase with 100 percent records after two matchdays.

Both north African outfits have beaten Namungo of Tanzania and Nkana of Zambia to create a six-point gap between them and their rivals.

Soufiane Rahimi is an in-form Raja attacker while nine of the Pyramids team have scored at least once, including Burkinabe Eric Traore, Palestinian Mahmoud Wadi and Uruguayan Diego Rolan.



Belgian Grand Prix Gets Contract Extension but Set to Be Dropped from Schedule in 2028 and 2030

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the second free practice at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Belgium, on Aug. 21, 2015. (AP)
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the second free practice at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Belgium, on Aug. 21, 2015. (AP)
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Belgian Grand Prix Gets Contract Extension but Set to Be Dropped from Schedule in 2028 and 2030

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the second free practice at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Belgium, on Aug. 21, 2015. (AP)
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the second free practice at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Belgium, on Aug. 21, 2015. (AP)

Formula 1 has extended its contract with the Belgian Grand Prix, but one of the sport's most established races is set to be dropped from the schedule in 2028 and 2030.

The extension starting from next year includes races only in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031, F1 said Wednesday.

F1’s push in recent years to expand the schedule with more races in the United States and Asia has meant more competition for traditional venues in Europe seeking to keep their places on the calendar.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit, a favorite with many drivers for its flowing high-speed layout through forested hills, was on the F1 schedule for the first championship season in 1950 and has been on the calendar every year since 2007.

"The Belgian Grand Prix was one of the races that made up our maiden Championship in 1950, so as we kick off our 75th anniversary year it is fitting that we can share the news of this important extension," F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.

"Spa-Francorchamps is rightly lauded by drivers and fans alike as one of the finest racetracks in the world and it has played host to some incredible moments over its many seasons in Formula 1."

This year's Belgian Grand Prix race weekend is from July 25 through 27, including a sprint race.