Tag: CAF Champions League

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2022-2023 preliminary round fixtures ready

Posted on by editor

The 2022-23 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League season continues this weekend with the second leg fixtures of the first preliminary round taking place across the continent.

All times are in GMT

16 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
12:00 La Passe (Seychelles) – Volcan Club de Moroni (Comores) Côte d’Or National Sports Complex Côte d’Or, St Pierre
16:00 SOAR (Guinea) – ASN Nigelec (Niger) Stade Général Lansana Conte Nongo

17 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
12:30 Al Merrikh (Sudan) – AS Arta Solar 7 (Djibouti) Bahir Dar National Stadium Bahir Dar
13:00 Royal Leopards (Eswatini) – CFFA (Madagascar) Somhlolo National Stadium Lobamba
13:00 Vipers Sc (Uganda) – Olympic Real de Bangui (CAR) St Mary’s Stadium Kampala
15:00 Petro Luanda (Angola) – Associaçao Black Bulls (Mozambique) Estadio 11 de Novembro Luanda
16:00 Yound Africans (Tanzania) – Zalan FC Rumbek (South Sudan) National Stadium Dar es Salaam
18:00 Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) – KMKM SC (Zanzibar) Martyrs of Benina Stadium Benina
18:30 CR Belouizdad (Algeria) – Bo rangers FC (Sierra Leone) Stade 8 mai 1945 Sétif
19:00 FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania) – ASKO de Kara (Togo) Stade Cheikha Ould B. Nouakchott

18 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
13:00 Simba SC (Tanzania) – Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi) National Stadium Dar Es Salaam
14:00 US Monastir (Tunisia) – APR FC (Rwanda) Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet Monastir
14:30 AS Otoho (Congo) – Cape Town City (South Africa) Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat Brazzaville
14:30 AS Vita Club (DR Congo) – Gaborone United SC (Botswana) Stade des Martyrs Kinshasa
15:00 Asante Kotoko (Ghana) – Rail Club de Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) Baba Yara Sports Stadium Kumasi
15:00 Plateau United (Nigeria) – ASO Stade Mandji (Gabon) MKO Abiola Stadium Abuja
15:00 CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) – Red Arrows (Zambia) Estadio 11 de novembro Luanda
16:00 ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire) – Coton Sport (Benin) Stade de Yamoussoukro Yamoussoukro
16:00 Djoliba AC (Mali) – CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) Stade 26 mars Bamako
16:00 Watanga FC (Liberia) – Rivers United (Nigeria) Samuel Kayon Doe Sports Complex Paynesville
17:00 Al Hilal (Sudan) – St George SC (Ethiopia) El Hilal Stadium Omdurman
17:00 Al Ittihad (Libya) – Flambeau du Centre (Burundi) Martyrs of Benina Stadium Benina
17:00 Coton Sport (Cameroon) – Matlama FC (Lesotho) Roumde Adjia Stadium Garoua
18:00 JS Kabylie (Algeria) – Casamance SC (Senegal) Stade 8 mai 1945 Sétif

25 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
18:00 Zamalek (Egypt) – Elect Sport (Chad) Cairo International Stadium Cairo

 

CAF releases 2022-23 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary fixtures

Posted on by editor

Here is the schedule:

All times are in GMT

09 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
16:00 Rail Club de Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) – Asante Kotoko (Ghana) Stade de Yamoussoukro Yamoussoukro

10 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
12:30 Volcan Club de Moroni (Comoros) – La Passe FC (Seychelles) Stade Moroni Malouzini Moroni
13:00 APR FC (Rwanda) – US Monastirienne (Tunisia) Huye Stadium Huye
13:00 Zalan FC Rumbek (South Sudan) – Young Africans (Tanzania) National Stadium Dar Es Salaam
13:00 Cape Town City FC (South Africa) – AS Otohô (Congo) Athlone Stadium Cape Town
13:00 Red Arrows FC (Zambia) – CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) Heroes National Stadium Lusaka
13:00 Nyasa Big Bullets FC (Malawi) – Simba SC (Tanzania) Bingu National Stadium Lilongwe
14:00 Matlama FC (Lesotho) – Coton Sport (Cameroon) Free State Stadium Mangaung
14:30 ASO Stade Mandji (Gabon) – Plateau United FC (Nigeria) Stade de la Rénovation Franceville
15:00 Olympic Real de Bangui (CAR) – Vipers SC (Uganda) Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat Brazzaville
15:00 CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) – Djoliba AC (Mali) Estadio de Mongomo Mongomo
15:30 ASN Nigelec (Niger) – SOAR (Guinea) Stade Général Senyi Kountché Niamey
16:00 BO Rangers FC (Sierra Leone) – CR Belouizdad (Algeria) Samuel Kayon Doe Sports Complex Paynesville
16:00 KMKM SC (Zanzibar) – Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) Amaan Stadium Zanzibar City

11 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
13:00 Saint George SC (Ethiopia) – Al Hilal (Sudan) Bahir Dar National Stadium Bahir Dar
13:00 Flambeau du Centre (Burundi) – Al Ittihad (Sudan) Azam Complex Dar Es Salaam
13:00 CFFA (Madagascar) – Royal Leopards FC (Eswatini) Stade Kianja Barea Antananarivo
14:00 Arta Solar 7 (Djibouti) – Al Merrikh (Sudan) Stade El hadj Hassan Gouled Djibouti Ville
15:00 Rivers United FC (Nigeria) – Watanga FC (Liberia) Adokiye Amiesimaka International Stadium Port Harcourt
16:00 Coton Sport Benin (Benin) – ASEC Mimosas (CIV) Stade de l’Amitié, Mathieu Kérékou Cotonou
16:00 ASKO de Kara (Togo) – FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania) Stade de Kegue Lomé
16:00 Gaborone United SC (Botswana) – AS Vita Club (DR Congo) National Stadium Gaborone
17:00 Casamance FC (Senegal) – JS Kabylie (Algeria) Stade Lat dior Thiès
13:00 Associaçao Black Bulls (Mozambique) – Petro Luanda (Angola) Estadio Nacional de Zimpeto Maputo

18 September 2022

Time Match Venue City
15:00 Elect Sport (Chad) – Zamalek (Egypt) Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium Yaoundé

Clubs that avoided the Second Preliminary Round included; Al Ahly (Egypt), Esperance (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Raja Club Athletic (Morocco), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco).

Besides Horoya AC (Mali) is qualified for the next round following the withdrawal of Gambia’s Haws FC.

Liberia’s Determine Girls FC seal historical TotalEnergies CAF Champions League ticket

Posted on by editor

Determine Girls of Liberia secured their ticket to this year’s TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League after beating US Parcelles Assainies 1-0 on Sunday.

The home side defeated the Senegalese on the final day of the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Zone A qualifier in Monrovia to seal their place.

Bountou Sylla, the Guinean who plays for Determine Girls had promised to do everything to make a big impact and get a big media exposure.

She succeeded in a big way when she scored the only goal of the match against USPA on the last day of the qualifying tournament.

In a closed game, the host team of the tournament, took advantage of their first big opportunity to score and secure their ticket.

Sylla received a cross from the right and managed to control the ball in a forest of legs before putting it beyond the reach of the USPA goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye.

The goal in the 27th minute sparked the champions of Senegal into action as they threw all their forces into battle but USPA striker Coumba Mbodj missed a good scoring opportunity moments later.

In the second half, the representatives of Senegal refused to loosen the noose but lacked the accuracy at goal to draw level amid heavy defending by the home side.

The home crowd erupted in jubilation at the final whistle to be the first side to qualify for a final phase of continental competition since their appearance at the 2002 African Cup of Nations played in Mali.

Determine Girls also made history by becoming the first team to qualify Liberian women’s football for a final phase of continental competition.

In their first game, they drew 1-1 against AS Mandé who were forced to draw 0-0 against USPA in their second outing in the tournament.

The Malians, who represented the zone in the first edition of the Women’s Champions League last year, lost their crown to Determine Girls who will represent the zonal body in Morocco at the end of the year.

What they said

Marième Babou of US Parcelles Assainies, Woman of the Match: “I am happy with the title but I would have preferred to win the tournament and qualify for the Champions League. But it’s only gone, we just have to go back home and work harder to come back stronger.”

Séréna Léna Gomis, coach of US Parcelles Assainies: “First of all, we must congratulate the victorious and champion team, Determine Girls, they did well and deserve this title. In this Sunday’s match, we narrowly missed the finish. You have to see that we had the best chances of the game. But when you have chances and you score, you expose yourself. We will return home, work more locally to win the championship. This is the only way to return to this qualifying tournament and try our luck again. The objective is obviously to qualify Senegalese women’s football in the Champions League.”

Bountou Sylla, best player of the tournament: ”We couldn’t imagine losing at home tonight, I’m very happy to have allowed Liberian football to be celebrated, we allowed the qualification to a major tournament, it is to the honor of the team but also to all the members of the technical staff and the leaders, it is a very beautiful day for Liberian football.”

Robert Lartey, coach of Determine Girls FC: “We succeeded, we reached our goal, I must thank my players, my family and give thanks to God. We worked well and above all we succeeded in our mental preparation. It was not easy because of the many injuries but we had to make the players understand that it was possible. Thanks to the fans and the management, it’s a great day for Liberian football. This is the victory of Liberian football. Now we have qualified for the Champions League which is a major tournament, we still have to work to move forward.”

Jackie Touah of Determine Girls, best goalkeeper of the tournament: “I give thanks to God for having won this title which comes with a qualification in the Women’s Champions League. I gave everything I had for the success of the team. We know we have to give up nothing to win and have the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

 

Courtesy of CAF Communication 

CAF reveals list of TotalEnergies Champions League, Confederation Cup licensed teams for 2022/23

Posted on by editor

This follows a successful Club Licensing Seminar hosted by CAF in Egypt, Cairo a fortnight ago that saw Member Associations, Leagues, FIFA and sister Confederations meet to discuss the roadmap for the licensing system in Africa.

For the last few years, Club Licensing in Africa has achieved impressive milestones that have resulted in the improvement of club football in the continent.

Each year, CAF, working with Member Associations and the Leagues, embarks on a licensing process that focuses on enhancing the club football product.

The club licensing process for CAF club competitions is regulated through the different CAF codes and competition regulations, which state that all clubs (Licence Applicants) intending to participate in the CAF Interclubs competitions, must undergo the club licensing process with their respective Member Association (Licensor) and be granted a license by the competent decision-making bodies.

The granting of a licence to the clubs endorses that each club has met the requirements set in the CAF Club Licensing regulations.

The CAF Member Association is the Licensor and assesses each club according to five criteria: Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel and Administrative, Legal, and Financial. For the current cycle, the deadline date for submission of all the licensing decisions and documents was 30 June 2022.

A total of 58 clubs from 46 CAF member associations were licensed for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2022-23 edition.

CL - B-01

Muhammad Sidat, CAF Head of Professional Football said: “In this cycle, the member associations have again complied with the deadlines and submission of all the necessary documentation and evidence related to the club licensing process for the CAF Interclubs 2022-23. The “no overdue payables criteria” was the one that clubs had some challenges to meet, but at the end, all disputes within the monitoring period with final and binding decisions were settled. We are now looking forward for the next season where the licensing process will be done electronically through the CAF Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP).”

For the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2022-23 edition a total of 50 clubs were granted a license at the level of their respective Member Association and will take part in the competition.

Security Systems from Botswana decided to withdraw from the competition.

CC - B-01

The first-leg of the matches of the 1st preliminary round will be played from September 9 to 11 with the return matches scheduled to be played a week later. The aggregate winners will progress to the second round. The matches of the second round of the qualifiers will take place at the start of October.

CAF Communication 

New CAF inter-club season kicks off

Posted on by editor

58 clubs are in the running to succeed Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco in the Champions League, while 50 clubs, including defending champions RS Berkane, have committed to take part in the 2022-2023 Confederation Cup season.

In the continent’s most prestigious inter-club competition, Malawi’s Nyasa Big Bullets must overcome Tanzanian side Simba while Ambitious Djibouti club Arta Solar will face Al Merreikh of Sudan.

Six clubs have been exempted from the first round. These are defending champions Wydad AC, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Raja CA, Al Ahly, TP Mazembe and finally Mamelodi Sundowns.

In the Confederation Cup, the first matches promise some great battles. To be followed in the first round, the duel between AS Douanes of Burkina Faso and AS Real Bamako of Mali. Another exciting preliminary clash is between Milo FC of Guinea who take on Togolese club ASCK.

Fourteen clubs were exempted from the first preliminary round and they will enter the competition in the next round including reigning champions RS Berkane from Morocco, former winners Hearts of Oak of Ghana as well Algeria’s JS Saoura and Pyramids of Egypt.

The first-leg of the matches of the first preliminary round will be played from September 9 to 11 with the return matches scheduled to be played a week later.

The matches of the second round of the qualifiers will take place at the start of October.

Rivers United FC (Nigeria) VS. Watanga FC (Liberia)

ASO Stade Mandji (Gabon) VS. Plateau United FC (Nigeria)

ASN Nigelec (Niger) VS. Super Olympien d’une Afrique Renaissante (SOAR) (Guinea)

APR FC (Rwanda) VS. US Monastirienne (Tunisia)

Olympic Real de Bangui (ORB)(Central African Republic) VS. Vipers SC (Uganda)

Volcan Club de Moroni (Comoros) VS. LA PASSE FC (Seychelles)

Coton Sport Benin (Benin) VS. Asec Mimosas (Côte D’Ivoire)

Hawks FC (Gambia) VS. Horoya AC (Guinea)

ASKO De Kara (Togo) VS. FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

Casamance SC (Senegal) VS. JS Kabylie (Algeria)

CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) VS. Djoliba AC de Bamako (Mali)

Bo Rangers FC (Sierra Leone) VS. CR Belouizdad (Algeria)

ZALAN FC RUMBEK (South Sudan) VS. Young Africans (Tanzania)

Saint George S.C.(Ethiopia) VS. Al Hilal (Sudan)

AS ARTA SOLAR 7 (Djibouti) VS. Al Merrikh (Sudan)

KMKM SC (Zanzibar) VS. Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya)

FLAMBEAU DU CENTRE (Burundi) VS. Al Ittihad (Libya)

Elect Sport (Chad) VS. Zamalek SC (Egypt)

Cape Town City FC (South Africa) VS. AS Otohô (Congo)

Associação Black Bulls (Mozambique) VS. Atlético Petróleos (Angola)

Red Arrows FC (Zambia) VS. CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)

43 Nyasa Big Bullets FC (Malawi) VS. Simba SC (Tanzania)

CFFA (Madagascar) VS. Royal Leopards FC (Eswatini)

Matlama FC (Lesotho) VS. Coton Sport FC (Cameroon)

Rail Club du Kadiogo (RCK)(Burkina Faso) VS. Asante Kotoko (Ghana)

Gaborone United SC (Botswana) VS. AS Vita Club (DR Congo)

CAF CL Preliminary Round 2022-23 [PDF]

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup

Kwara (Nigeria) vs AS Douanes (Niger)

LISCR (Liberia) vs SC Gagnoa (CIV)

Milo (Guinea) vs ASCK (Togo)

AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) vs Real Bamako (Mali)

Hilal Al Sahil (South Soudan) vs Geita Gold (Tanzania)

Kenema (Ethiopia) vs Bunamuru (Burundi)

Djibouti Telecom (Djibouti) vs AS Kigali (Rwanda)

Hilal (South Sudan) vs Kipanga (Zanzibar)

Al Akhdar (Libye) vs Ahli Khartoum (Sudan)

Mbabane (Eswatini) vs Royal AM (RSA)

Security (Botswana) vs St Eloi (DR Congo)

St Michel (Seychelles) vs Inter Litoral (Equatorial Guinea)

Santé Abeche (Chad) vs Ferroviaro (Mozambique)

PWD Bamenda (Cameroon) vs Elgeco (Madagascar)

ASFAR (Maroc) vs Remo Stars (Nigeria)

Buffles (Benin) vs Kallon FC (Sierra Leone)

CAF Communication 

CAF pushes 2023 AFCON to 2024 over weather conditions

Posted on by <a href="http://www.sportsnews.africa/byline/joel-masibo-sports-africa/" rel="tag">JOEL MASIBO- SPORTS AFRICA</a>

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has pushed the next edition of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to 2024 over weather conditions in the host country Ivory Coast.

The tournament was initially scheduled for June-July 23 in the West African nation but due to the rainy season that starts in the same period  in Ivory Coast, CAF has decided to push the event to January and February 2024 in the same country.

“We cannot take the risk,” CAF President  Patrice Motsepe said in the Moroccan capital Rabat on Sunday.

The development now means AFCON will be held in January and February for the second time in a row, after this year’s tournament in Cameroon.

CAF had in 2017 announced plans of moving the AFCON finals from their traditional January-February slot to June-July with an aim of avoiding repeated disputes with European clubs forced to release players in the middle of the season.

“January is not the ideal time because of the European clubs, but it is the only choice we have,” Motsepe added.

However, reports also say that  there are no plans to permanently move the finals back to January-February given the contrasting weather patterns across the continent at different times of the year.

African Super League

Motsepe also added that the African Super League will get underway in August 2023.

The competition  will feature 24 teams and carry total prize money of $100m, over $10m will go to the winner.

“The key issue for us is the abnormal interest we’ve been exposed to from some of the biggest and most prominent investors and sponsors,” Motsepe said.

Caf also said that the African Champions League will continue alongside the new African Super League, where the top 24 teams will be decided according to their Fifa ranking.

Caf has also announced that the Champions League final  will return to being a two-legged format.

“I appreciate the huge amount of unhappiness that the president of Al Ahly expressed in relation to the hosting of the African Champions League final here [in Morocco].”

Caf Champions League final became a one-off final from 2020-2022 after over half a century of staging two-legged finals with Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca edging Egyptian giants Al Ahly to crowned African Champions.

CAF Champions League: Zamalek beat Kenya’s Tusker

Posted on by <a href="http://www.sportsnews.africa/byline/xinhua/" rel="tag">XINHUA</a>

NAIROBI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) — Egyptian giants Zamalek FC took a huge step towards qualifying for the group stages of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League after beating Kenyan titleholders Tusker FC 1-0 in Nairobi on Saturday.

Moroccan Achraf Bencharki scored the winner in the 47th minute of the first leg of the round of 32 contest played in Nairobi.

The return leg is set for Friday in Alexandria, Egypt where the Cairo giants only need a draw to advance.

Tusker had goalkeeper Brian Bwire, who returned to the team from international duty, to thank for keeping the score line respectable for the hosts.

The five-time African club champions are fondly known as the White Knights by their fans and they delivered a controlling performance to dominate the contest.

Bwire thwarted Ahmed Mostafa when he was clean on goal after being put through by his captain Youssef Mohamed who lofted a great ball into space to create the chance midway through the first half.

After a barren first half, Bwire and his teammates were caught cold moments after the break when Bencharki twisted his way past the Tusker defense to score the opener.

The goal spurred the Kenyan champions into action and in the 57th minute, Ibrahim Joshua laid the ball to his strike partner, Boniface Muchiri but his effort was easily gathered by the Zamalek goalkeeper.

Tusker coach, Robert Matano made a quadruple substitution just past the hour mark as he tried to wrest the initiative from the Egyptians.

And the changes almost had an immediate desired impact when fashioned another chance to level the contest in the 61st minute when Joshua forced the Zamalek keeper to a smart save.

With nine minutes left, Bwire ensured his side had something to play for in Alexandria when he made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Moray Fayed a second for Zamalek.

The Whites Knights then opted to run down the clock, with their goalkeeper booked for time-wasting in the final minutes that saw them also make three substitutes.

The final whistle brought them a first victory on Kenyan soil for the Egyptian champions who were shocked 4-2 the last time they played in Nairobi in March 2019 by Gor Mahia in the CAF Confederations Cup.

Kenya’s Tusker eyes CAF Champions League away win in Djibouti

Posted on by <a href="http://www.sportsnews.africa/byline/xinhua/" rel="tag">XINHUA</a>

NAIROBI, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) –– Kenya’s Premier League (KPL) champion Tusker FC is confident of victory when they face hosts Arta Solar 7 Club in their preliminary round first leg of the CAF Champions League in Djibouti on Saturday.

Tusker is returning to continental football for the first time since 2012, having deposed Gor Mahia as league champions at the end of the just-concluded domestic season.

After the first leg, the return fixture will take place a week later on Sept. 18 in Nairobi. The winner on aggregate will advance to another knockout with the now 12-time Kenyan league champions targeting progression to the group stages of the Champions League.

If Tusker proceeds to the first round, they will face off with Egypt’s champions and Cairo giants Zamalek FC in mid-October.

Speaking during the team’s departure from Nairobi on Wednesday, Tusker head coach Robert Matano expressed confidence his charges will progress to the next phase.

“We have been training in Mombasa in the past one week and we have been able to build synergy between the new players we have brought in and those who were there before. We won the Premier League and that is now behind us, we look forward to the upcoming challenge,” said Matano who has now won two KPL titles with Tusker having led them to the 2012 crown.

Tusker has been active in the current transfer window recruiting Charles Momanyi, keeper Patrick Matasi, Kalos Protus Kirenge, Ibrahim Joshua and Teddy Osok.

Club sponsors Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) managing director John Musunga assured the team of the company’s full support during the competition, as he also hopes for positive results.

“This team has done us proud this year, winning the league and qualifying for the CAF Champions League. This is the dream of any football player in Kenya and I, therefore, congratulate them for their success. As a company, we have and will continue to support the team throughout their continental campaign as we always have,” he added.

As motivation, the team received a bonus of two million shillings (18,200 U.S. dollars) from their sponsors for winning the title and ending Gor’s stranglehold on the KPL trophy.

Onyango or Akumu? Why Kenyans can’t wait for CAF Champions League quarters

Posted on by <a href="http://www.sportsnews.africa/byline/elvince-joshua-sports-africa/" rel="tag">ELVINCE JOSHUA - SPORTS AFRICA</a>

Two Kenyans players, two clubs – one from South Africa and the other one from Tanzania – will be the cast in a game that has the potential of splitting Kenyan fans down in the middle when Simba take on Kaizer Chiefs in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals in mid May.

Kenya exported Joash Onyango to Simba, where he has made a name for himself. For most Simba fans, Onyango is  not your ordinary player. 

The Kenyan goes by several nick names. In Nairobi and the towns beyond, he’s referred to as the ‘Berlin Wall’, while for most Simba fans, he is a “half human, half  stone” (nusu mtu, nusu jiwe) due to his solid performance at the back.

Down in South Africa is another player that has stolen the hearts of most Kenyan fans, Teddy Akumu, the Kaizer Chiefs midfielder-turned-defender.

So when Chiefs meet Simba, the undisputed kings of East Africna football, the match is expected to attract a following beyond Johannesburg and Dar es Salaam.

With no Kenyan team in the run for the title after Gor Mahia were knocked out of the competition at the group stages, Kenyan fans will definitely take sides considering that both players have turned out for K’Ogalo before.

Teddy Akumu. PHOTO: KAIZER CHEIFS

This is the closest Simba have ever come to winning this title. They know that just two more victories and they might once again play Ah Ahly if the Egyptians giants and defending champions overcome Mamelodi Sundowns and win their semis either between Esperance and Belouizdad.

Simba beat Ahly who won a record ninth Caf Champions League title last season, in the first leg of the group stages and the Lions are oozing with confidence going into the match against the South African.

Another match that will be if interest to fans is the clash between Ahly and Sundowns. 

It will not only be interesting to watch a club owned by CAF president Patrice Motsepe crash out of the competition or progress to the next stage, but will also be of great interest to see whether Piston Mosimane will break the hearts of fellow South Africans for the second time.

In 2020, Mosimane took a flight to Egypt and within no time, he had been named as the Ahly’s head coach. That news technically ended his eight year reign as Sundowns tactician.

Even Pitso is equally  at a crossroads ahead of the much expected clash of the titans. “I love both,” the reigning Africa Club Champions League winning coach said after the draws.

Ahly beat Sundowns in the 2001 finals, but having grown too close to powers, the South African would definitely do everything to make the Africa football chief proud.

​​Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates will play Raja Casablanca as Pyramids on Nigeria’s Enyimba FC in the second tier-CAF Confederation Cup.

The first leg will be staged between of May 14 and 15 with the return leg running between May 21, 22 2021

 Caf Champions League quarters draws

Simba v​s​ Kaizer Chiefs

Esperance vs Beouizdad

MC Algers vs Wydad SC

Al Ahly vs Mamelodi Sundown

​​CAf Confederation Cup quarters draws

Orlando Pirate vs Raja Casablanca

CS Sfanxien v Kabylie

Jaaraf vs Coton Sports FC

Pyramids vs Enyimba FC

Uproar as CAF bars Simba fans from stands against Al-Merreikh

Posted on by <a href="http://www.sportsnews.africa/byline/theodore-john/" rel="tag">THEODORE JOHN</a>

For the first time, Tanzanian giants Simba will play a continental match at home without the support of their loyal fans.

Simba will host Sudanese side Al-Merreikh on Tuesday but they will miss the crucial services of the 12th man on the stands.

CAF, through a letter, informed the Tanzanian side of the decision not to allow fans in the stadium ahead of the tie at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, where they just need a simple victory secure an early berth to the quarter finals.

The decision to bar fans from the stadium came as a big surprise to the team that boats of passionate support at home.

For Simba, playing before their home faans has become a tradition of sorts – both in preliminary and group stage games despite to the fact that Tanzania doesn’t observe Covid health measures.

“They are a great pillar of the club and they stand as the 12th player in the field,” club spokesperson Haji Manara lamented.

Interestingly, AS Vita, who are in the same group as Simba and Al-Merreikh, were allowed by CAF to grant access to 3,000 fans in their game against Al Ahly also to be played today.

Al Ahly has since protested to CAF wanting the game to be played behind closed doors.

Simba has had an outstanding performance in their group thus far. The Tanzania Mainland League champions have kept a clean sheet in all the three group stage matches.

They top the group with seven points thanks to victories against holders Al Ahly and As vita and a draw with Al-Merreikh.

There is sport, and there is HEAVY METAL SPORT. Sports Africa is all about the latter: a kick-ass sports website that says we know sport! We are Africa’s number one online sports community created by true fans.

As fans first, and journalists second, we know how sports content should be presented. So say goodbye to those bland sites and welcome to the true home of sports.

Visit us for the most compelling sporting content from Africa and around the world.

We are bold! We are loud!

LATEST POSTS

Advantages and Disadvantages of Playing Free Slots

LET'S TALK

Contact us: For editorial enquiries and contributions.
editor@sportsnews.africa
For partnerships & advertisement.
partnerships@sportsnews.africa
© Copyright 2024 SPORTS AFRICA. All rights reserved