CAF Champions League
Rivers United Awaits Confederation Cup Foes
Two former winners in CAF’s inter-clubs competitions will on Wednesday star in the draw for the league segment of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
They are Egypt’s Wael Gomaa and DR Congo’s Tresor Mputu Mabi. The www.sportsvillagesquare.com gathered that CAF chose them for their exploits in the continental clubs competitions.
Gomaa and Mputu are famous names with the African Club Championships, having lifted the Holy Grail of continental club football at least once. The 41 year old Gomaa, who retired in 2014, won unprecedented six CAF Champions League titles with Egyptian giants, Al Ahly in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2013, as well as five CAF Super Cup titles.
The rugged defender was a member of the Ahly ‘golden generation’ together with the likes of Essam El Hadary, Mohamed Aboutreika, Mohamed Barakat and Shady Mohamed that dominated African football at their peak.
He also bagged over 100 appearances with the Egypt national team appearing in five successive finals of the Africa Cup of Nations – 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010; and being on the victorious side three times – 2006, 2008 and 2010.
The www.sportsvillagesquare.com also gathered that Congolese Mputu who is 31, is undoubtedly one of the most skillful players of his generation domestically and beyond.
Top scorer in the continental club championships with 43 goals, he remains an iconic figure in his native DR Congo especially with Lubumbashi outfit, TP Mazembe, where he is idolized.
He was one of the pillars behind the rise to fame of Mazembe in the mid 2000’s guiding them to CAF Champions League glory in 2009 and the CAF Super Cup same year.
After a brief stint with Kabuscorp of Angola, he rejoined ‘Les Corbeaux’ in late 2016 and has continued to impress.
The offensive mid fielder was also revelation of the maiden edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cote d’Ivoire, where he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player as DR Congo won the title.
The two players will assist CAF Acting General Secretary, Essam Ahmed, to conduct the draw to be attended by officials of the participating clubs.
Egypt’s Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa. This led to a 3-2 aggregate success. They celebrated their first African Champions League title. This triumph occurred following the second leg of this year’s final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
The first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1. Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes. He profited from a Sundowns defensive error. Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes. He scored with a header from a free-kick.
Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining. One more goal would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule. However, Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors.
Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily. Meanwhile, 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month’s Club World Cup in the United States on a low note.
-Reuters
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- 1. Pyramids aim to become the first new CAF Champions League winner since Sundowns (2016), the 13th in the modern era, and the 27th overall.
- 2. This is the 19th Champions League-era final featuring an Egyptian club. Previous teams (Al Ahly 10, Zamalek 1) have won 11 titles.
- 3. Including the pre-Champions League era, this is the 29th final for an Egyptian club, with 18 wins and 10 losses.
- 4. Pyramids have played only 1 of their last 9 matches at home but are unbeaten in their last 23 home games this season (W19 D4) and last 28 overall (W24 D4).
- 5. Pyramids scored in 22 of 23 home games this season; the only blank was a 0-0 draw vs Al Masry.
- 6.This season, they’ve won all 7 home matches, scoring 26 and conceding 6, with one clean sheet. In total, they’ve lost just 1 of 11 home matches in the competition.
- 7. Fiston Mayele leads with 8 goals in 12 matches (5 since group stage); Ibrahim Adel has 6 (also 5 post-group stage).
- 8. Ramadan Sobhi has 5 assists in 9 games (joint-most), plus 2 goals. He’s had major impact off the bench twice.
- 9. Askary Chibi has created 20 chances since the group stage — the most for Pyramids.
- 10. Pyramids have kept 3 clean sheets this season, all away, but remain dominant at home
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- 1. Sundowns are in their third CAF Champions League final (2001, 2016, 2024).
- 2. South African Record: First South African club to reach three finals, surpassing Orlando Pirates (2).
- 3. Sundowns hosted the first leg in all three finals. In 2001, they drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-0 away to Al Ahly.
- 4. Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 at home, lost 1-0 away, and won 3-1 on aggregate.
- 5. Sundowns have never scored in an away leg of a Champions League final, conceding five in total.
- 6. The current final marks the second time Sundowns led at home and failed to win (also in 2001).
- 7. A defeat would make Sundowns the first South African side to lose two finals.
- 8. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 10 matches vs Egyptian opposition (4wins and 6 draws).
- 9. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Egypt (2 wins and 2 draws).
- 10. A win would make Sundowns the first team since Al Ahly (2012) to win the title after failing to win the home leg.
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