Preview: Etoile vs Pachuca - (Ahly vs America Reloaded)

Etoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia take on Pachuca of Mexico this afternoon in the FIFA Japan 2007 Club World Cup. It's a rematch of last year's CAF Champions and CONCACAF Champions, but instead of Al-Ahly of Egypt and Club America of Mexico, it's these two.

So what are the main differences? Well Etoile are a much, smaller club than Ahly. Ahly are giants in Africa, having won the Champions League 5 times, compared to Etoile's one and only triumph in 2007. The Sahel side aren't even Tunisia's biggest team (that honour goes to Esperance), and their 2007 league win was their first since 1997. However, this glut of recent success also indicates that they are currently a very strong side.

As for the Mexicans? Well Pachuca are one of Mexico's oldest teams, although the slightly younger America are more colourful, popular and controversial. As far as recent success goes though, Pachuca have been much stronger. America arrived in Tokyo last year as CONCACAF Cup Champions, but without much domestic success to show for apart from a Clausura title in 2005. Pachuca on the other hand have won the Clausura titles for the last two years, and also became the first Mexican side to win an Intercontintenal tournament with the capture of the Copa Sudamericana in 2006.

As far as personnel goes, Ahly came here last year with Africa's best player (domestically) in Mohammed Abu Tarika, who excelled in the tournament. They also had temperamental Angolan striker Flavio, easy-does-it right-wing back Islam Al Shater, and mountainous centreback and former Blackburn trialist Wael Goma.

America had a few "big names" (i.e. washed-up or rejects from bigger leagues) in Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Nelson Cuevas, and Salvador Cabanas, as well as outstanding young 'keeper Guillermo Ochoa. However both Ahly and America had ageing lineups, with averages of close to 30 years.

Both Pachuca and Etoile are very young teams, with good attacking talent. Pachuca have Argentina maestro Damian Alvarez controlling their attack, with brainy Colombian Andres Chitiva helping to pull the string in midfield. The Pachuca #11 Juan Carlos Cacho is a young attacker with fantastic promise who gave Mexico excellent options at the recent Copa America, and is a really great talent. Fullback Fausto Pinto is another one to watch.

Etoile have a very young team full of African internationals. Scouts from all over Europe will be at the game to watch their young No. 9 Armine Chermiti, one of the hottest properties in African football at the moment. Their Cape Verde forward Gilson Silva Alves is another exciting attacker (although an erratic one), and Benin midfielder Muri Ogunbuyi is a real threat.

There's fantastic attacking talent on both sides, and this will be one of the better games in this tournament.