The Gambia?s league champions Armed Forces will start their assault on the coveted continental trophy on Saturday when they host Algeria?s JS Kabylie in the first leg fixture in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League at the Independence Stadium.

Armed Forces will enter the weekend fixture with poor form from their recent domestic fixtures, but if the words of the team?s head of technical matters, Lt. Colonel Lamin LK Jammeh, are anything to go by, the northerners will no doubt head home with their tails fold between their legs. "The boys promised the high command that they will win at home without trouble," Lt Colonel Jammeh has told the local media in the build up to the match.  "They know what is at stake for them should they win. I will not state what sort of reward awaits them but honestly if they win, a handsome reward awaits them."

Declaring that the team are focused and injury-free ahead of the  encounter, Jammeh assured Gambians of victory against a club that currently lie second in the Algeria 18-team league table with only three points separating them from the leaders MC Alger after twenty one league matches.

CAF Super Cup runners-up in 1995, JS Kabylie were twice crowned as champions in their nine appearances in the continent?s most-prestigious club competition. Touted as one of the richest and most successful clubs in Africa, Kabylie can also boast of being crowned as Algeria league champions for a record 14 times.

After Saturday clash in Banjul, Armed Forces will travel to Algeria in the weekend of 26 and 28 February for the second leg with the aggregate winners sure of progress to join eight more teams in the first round next month before a third knockout round determines the eight teams for the final league phase.