CAF Confederation Cup
NIGERIA’S ENUGU RANGERS AMONG LEADING AFRICAN CLUBS LONG FOR CAF TITLE
A number of
popular African clubs who have not won a continental competition for a long
time will be in CAF Confederation Cup play-offs first-leg action this weekend,
AFP reports.
It is 42 years since Nigerians Enugu Rangers won the now defunct African Cup
Winners Cup and Ghanaians Asante Kotoko lifted the African Cup of Champions
Clubs trophy 36 years ago.
Kenyans Gor Mahia and South Africans Kaizer Chiefs raised the African Cup
Winners Cup 32 and 18 years ago respectively.
Egyptians Zamalek can boast of nine CAF titles, but their last
success was in 2003 when they won the CAF Super Cup.
Asante
Kotoko
Kotoko, who have the unwanted CAF record of losing seven of nine finals,
struggled to get past Kenyans Kariobangi Sharks after receiving a preliminary
round walkover. They now face the 2008 Champions League runners-up,
Cameroonians Coton Sport, with the first leg in Yaounde. Coton are likely to
prove stronger opponents than Sharks and Kotoko will do well to leave central
Africa level on aggregate.
Enugu
Rangers
The draw favoured Rangers as they were paired with Lesotho outfit Bantu FC, one
of the weakest of the 30 title contenders playing this weekend. Bantu were
demoted from the Champions League to the Confederation Cup without winning any
of their four matches and it is hard to imagine them shocking the Nigerians, at
home or away.
In Godwin Aguda and Bright Silas, Enugu have attackers who scored three goals
each to help eliminate Ethiopians Defence Force and Algerians USM Bel Abbes in
qualifiers.
Gor
Mahia
The Nairobi club have been steadily improving in Africa, becoming the first
Kenyan qualifiers for the Confederation Cup group stage last year. Gor almost
achieved an even greater success in the current Champions League, but conceded
a late goal away to Nigerians Lobi Stars and missed out on a group place. They
host Cameroonians New Star, whose five-goal striker Junior Ngongang is the
leading scorer in this Confederation Cup.
Chiefs
Chiefs, who have won 53 domestic trophies since being formed 49 years ago but
only one in Africa, will lack injured goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune away to
Zambians Zesco United. His absence was sorely felt last weekend with a blunder
by Namibian stand-in Virgil Vries gifting a undeserved victory to Mamelodi
Sundowns in a key league match.
Zesco sharpshooter Lazarous Kambole, whose five-minute hat-trick last season
was the fastest in a CAF club match, poses a major threat to the Soweto outfit.
Zamalek
After several seasons in the doldrums and being overshadowed by arch rivals Al
Ahly, the Cairo White Knights are leading the Egyptian title race under Swiss
coach Christian Gross. They took this good form into Africa last month to slam
seven goals past Chadians ASCOT in the home leg of a qualifier with Congolese
Kabongo Kasongo bagging a brace. Away to Moroccans Ittihad Tanger this weekend,
Zamalek will probably be satisfied to avoid defeat, then use home advantage to
emerge overall winners.
CAF Confederation Cup
Good start for Confederation Cup defending champions, Zamalek
Zamalek commenced their CAF Confederation Cup journey with a 1-0 win over Kenya’s Police in the initial leg of the second preliminary round held in Nairobi this Saturday.
Veteran winger Abdallah El-Saied secured the win for the Whites with a precise strike from outside the box just a minute before halftime.
The Cairo giants, winners of the 2023-2024 CAF Confederation Cup title, started the match with relentless pressure on the hosts to clinch victory in the first leg and alleviate pressure before the upcoming return fixture in Cairo next Friday.
“The most important thing for us was to win and achieve our target,” Zamalek coach Gomes said after the game.
Hosts Police FC of Kenya could not breach Zamalek’s resolute defense in search of an equalizer.
Despite notable summer acquisitions, Zamalek’s coach Jose Gomes opted for a standard lineup, integrating young talents in lieu of seasoned players.
“We are now stronger than the previous season, thanks to spending more time with the team and preparing to play in the tournaments that we will participate in,” the Portuguese coach added.
Conversely, Kenya’s Police FC squandered a clear scoring opportunity against Zamalek, missing a crucial chance fifteen minutes before the final whistle, dashing hopes of leveling the score.
Kenya’s Police FC earned their place in this round following a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate victory over Ethiopia Coffee SC.
-Ahram
CAF Confederation Cup
Enyimba continues unbeaten run against Burkina Faso clubs
Nigeria’s Enyimba played a thrilling 0-0 draw with Burkina Faso’s Etoile Filante in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second round tie in Bamako on Friday.
There have been three previous confrontation with Burkina Faso teams and this Friday encounter was the second time that Enyimba had had to face Etoile Filante.
According to facts supplied by Opta Nigeria, Etoile Filante were Enyimba’s first ever opponent on the continent 22 years ago in March 2002. Ever since, Enyimba have played 157 times on the continent; the highest by any Nigerian club.
Enyimba carry their advantage to the return leg to be played on 22 September.
CAF Confederation Cup
Enyimba drawn against Etoile de Filante in Confederation Cup
Nigeria’s sole survivors in the CAF Confederation Cup,Enyimba will face Burkina Faso sides, Etoile de Filante in the second round of the competition.
Enyimba drew bye in the preliminary round while the Burkina Faso team reached the second round after eliminating Hafia of Guinea.
Enyimba, second runners-up in the Nigerian League will be attempting to win the Confederation Cup for the first time for Nigeria as they did in the Champions League 21 years ago.
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