CAF Champions League
CAF 2019 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CONTROVERSY: MOROCCO’S WYDAD RETURN TO CAS
The last may not have been heard concerning on the controversial final match of the 2018/19 CAF Champions League contested by Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club and Tunisia’s Esperance.
According to Morocco World News, Wydad is not happy with CAF’s final verdict in which CAF upheld the appeal of Esperance. That has also qualified Esperance to represent Africa at the 2019 FIFA Clubs World Cup in Qatar.
But in a surprising move after CAF’s final verdict, the Moroccan club has said it plans to file yet another complaint to contest CAF’s ruling. Wydad is taking advantage of the fact that it has 10 days to protest the ruling before the decision becomes binding and irreversible.
“We will fight for our rights until the very end,” Wydad chairman Said Naciri has been quoted as saying just hours after CAF’s verdict was made public.
Naciri said that his team “has been fighting for more than two months” to expose the “oppression” and other outrageous treatment they were subjected to before, during, and after the second leg at the Rades stadium on the outskirts of Tunis. “Esperance does not deserve to win if we take into account the way things unfolded in Rades,” the Wydad president argued.
But the surprise, even irony, in Wydad’s resolve to “fight until the end” means the club is determined to rush into taking its final complaint to an entity, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has already ruled that ES Tunis should be the champions.
After the controversial second leg match in May, CAF initially opted for a rematch. But both Wydad and EST felt they had been wronged. The two clubs took the matter to CAS, each arguing that it should be the rightful winner.
CAS then overruled CAF’s rematch decision but declared EST as more legally deserving of win. Other than Wydad’s complaint about CAF’s rematch ruling, CAS said then, its case for winning the match was not legally compelling.
CAF’s latest verdict was a confirmation of CAS previous ruling, which raises questions as to what Wydad really hopes to get from yet another complaint with yet another body that has already delivered in favor of the opposing side.
But Wydad’s Naciri does not see the matter this way. He sees neither irony nor contradiction in Wydad’s resolve to file a complaint with CAS.
In his statement, he appears to evince confidence that maybe this time CAS, suddenly realizing that its previous ruling had missed some elements of the controversy, will give Wydad’s indignation the support and validation it deserves.
“Our next step will be to bring the case to CAS,” Naciri said, adding that he expects the court to deliver in a spirit of “equity.”
CAF Champions League
Brazil’s Ribeiro Costa Gone, Rivalry Renewed: Mamelodi Sundowns Reshape Squad Before Remo Stars Showdown
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Mamelodi’s talismanic Brazilian player, Lucas Ribeiro Costa has made a sudden departure from the club which is well known for its Brazil-styled football attire. The departure of the player has forced a tactical reset at Sundowns ahead of the CAF Champions League second round clash with Remo Stars.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s champions, Remo Stars, are bracing up for a titanic CAF Champions League second-round showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa — a fixture that not only promises fireworks on the pitch but also rekindles one of African football’s most intense rivalries.
The first leg of the tie will take place in Abeokuta, the temporary home ground of Remo Stars with the return fixture scheduled for South Africa.
Sundowns, are continental heavyweights — former African champions and perennial campaigners known for their fluid attacking football.
However, the South Africans will enter this contest amid tactical reshuffling following the shock departure of Ribeiro, their Brazilian talisman and last season’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Year.
New coach Miguel Cardoso has acknowledged the impact of Ribeiro’s exit but insists the Tshwane-based side are evolving into a more unified team rather than relying on individual brilliance.
“No player will replace Lucas because that’s not what we are looking for,” Cardoso told reporters after Sundowns’ first league loss of the season.
“We are looking to reinforce the team and make it completely different. Ribeiro was unique, but now we must play more as a collective.”
Cardoso revealed that Sundowns have recruited Portuguese playmaker Nuno Santos from Vitória Guimarães and are closing in on another Portuguese midfielder, Miguel Reisinho, to enhance their creative options.
Despite this transition phase, the South African champions remain formidable, boasting one of the continent’s most technically balanced squads. Their clash with Nigeria’s Remo Stars — debutants in this elite stage — offers a fascinating contrast between experience and ambition.
Beyond the football itself, the fixture taps into a storied Nigeria–South Africa rivalry that has shaped African football narratives for decades — from national team duels at the Africa Cup of Nations to club-level battles in CAF competitions.
Matches between sides from both nations have often been fierce, emotionally charged, and symbolic of continental supremacy.
For Remo Stars, this encounter represents both a massive test and an opportunity to make a statement.
The Ikenne-based side, known for their youthful energy and tactical discipline, will aim to upset the odds against one of Africa’s richest and most accomplished clubs.
Their head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, is expected to lean on the attacking prowess of Adams Olamilekan and the creativity of Ebuka Anthony to breach Sundowns’ disciplined defence.
With pride, prestige, and progression on the line, all eyes will be on the two legs of this Nigeria–South Africa contest — a battle that goes beyond footballing tactics to touch the nerve of a continental rivalry steeped in passion and history.
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Rivers United have advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after defeating Les Aigles of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1–0 in the return leg on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Following a goalless stalemate in the first leg in Kinshasa, the Nigerian side sealed progression on a 1–0 aggregate scoreline, thanks to a first-half strike that proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter.
The win sends Rivers United into the second preliminary round, where they will face the winner of the tie between AC Léopards of Congo and Black Bulls of Mozambique.
With this result, Rivers United join Remo Stars in the second round of the CAF Champions League.
The next round is scheduled to hold between October 17 and 26, while the group stage kicks off in November
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Remo Stars have sealed their passage into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after edging Comoros’ US Zilimadjou 1–0 in Abeokuta on Friday, completing an emphatic 5–0 aggregate victory.
Forward Alex Oyowah struck the decisive goal in the 74th minute, calmly converting from the penalty spot to settle the return leg at the MKO Abiola International Stadium.
With a four-goal cushion from the first leg in – courtesy of strikes from Lamine Ndenge, Ebuka Anthony, Adams Goïta and Seun Olasupo – coach Daniel Ogunmodede’s side approached the second leg tie with composure and tactical discipline.
Despite Zilimadjou’s spirited attempt to salvage pride, Remo Stars’ organisation off the ball ensured the visitors rarely threatened.
The Sky Blue Stars grew in confidence as the game wore on, controlling possession and protecting their clean sheet before Oyowah’s late strike put the result beyond doubt.
The Nigerian side will now brace for a tougher test in October when they meet South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in what promises to be one of the glamour fixtures of the next round.
Other return-leg fixtures across the continent are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with the full line-up for the second preliminary round to be confirmed thereafter.
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