CAF Confederation Cup
MBAOMA, ENYIMBA’S NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Gone were the days when Nigeria hopeful Enyimba were one of the most-feared teams on the continent to the same extent that the People’s Elephants were successively crowned continental champions in 2003 and 2004.
The Aba-based side have struggled ever since much more so in the on-going continental cup campaign since they flattered to deceive in the Total CAF Champions League after posting a 5-1 aggregate win over Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso, Enyimba lost 1-0 on aggregate to Al Hilal of Sudan to drop off into the play-off for the Total CAF Confederation Cup.
Though, they did spank South Africa’s second division side TS Galaxy 4-1 on aggregate to secure their berth in the Confederation Cup mini-league group stage, Enyimba have recorded a loss and a win in two matches following that 2-0 away defeat to Hassania Agadir on MatchDay 1 and that hard-fought 1-0 home win against San Pedro on MatchDay 2.
As the mini-league reaches halfway mark on MatchDay 3, three-point Enyimba are second on the log in Group D behind Hassania Agadir of Morocco, who have six points, while Algerian debutants Paradou and San Pedro of Cote d’Ivoire are both in the rear with one point each.
However, Enyimba striker Victor Mbaoma reckons his side must avoid defeat against the ‘Blue and Yellow’ on Sunday in Blida.
“Our expectation against Paradou is to win because if we need to qualify from this group for the quarter finals, we need to win our matches henceforth,” the Enyimba Number 25 said in an interview with CAFOnline.com
“We have lost one and won one of the previous two matches; this is our third match in the group stage and we can’t afford to lose again. We just have to win so that it can enhance our chances of qualifying from this difficult group.”
The 23-year-old forward, recruited from Nigerian top flight side Remo Stars at the start of the season, is regarded as one of his side’s outstanding players this term.
“We have a lot of quality players and I’m really happy because being here has really helped me personally; it has helped me to grow as a person and as a player.”
But this is not Mbaoma’s debut on the continent after his four goals for Akwa United in the Uyo-based side’s ill-fated campaign in the 2018 Total CAF Confederation Cup, where they exited in the penultimate round before the group stage.
“The experience has been very good,” surmise Victor whose surname, Mbaoma, means ‘good man’ in his native Abia State in Eastern Nigeria.
“I’m grateful to be able to play at the continental level again; and it has really helped my game and exposed me as a player.
“My best moment so far in this Total CAF Confederation Cup was scoring against TS Galaxy at home in Aba as well as when we qualified for the group stage.
“In the Nigerian league, it was when I scored twice against Adamawa United because it boosted my confidence to go for the top scorer of the season; and this has really strengthened me,” he said.
Yet for Mbaoma, it’s not a question of how good he is currently but how good he wants to be as he models his fledging career after Portuguese great, Cristiano Ronaldo.
“My footballing hero has always been Cristiano Ronaldo simply because he loves to win and score goals,” Mbaoma said with an unmistakable clarity.
“I always like to watch him and you can see that he’s not always happy when he doesn’t score goals. I try to emulate such a great player because I love to score goals too.”
Fixtures
Group A
SUNDAY
- Alexandria Al Masry (Egypt) vs Pyramids (Egypt)
- Mauritania Nouadhibou (Mauritania) vs Enugu Rangers (Nigeria)
Group B
SUNDAY
- Conakry Horoya (Guinea) vs Djoliba (Mali)
- Johannesburg Bidvest (South Africa) vs El Nasr (Libya)
Group C
SUNDAY
- Porto Novo ESAE (Benin) vs Zanaco (Zambia)
- Berkane RS Berkane (Morocco) vs Motema Pembe (DR Congo)
Group D
SUNDAY
- Blida Paradou (Algeria) vs Enyimba (Nigeria)
- Abidjan San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire) vs HUSA (Morocco)
A high-stakes Moroccan derby between Olympique de Safi and Wydad Casablanca will headline the quarter-final stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, following Tuesday’s draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), mapped out the path to the final for the eight remaining contenders, setting up intriguing North African and Central African showdowns.
All-Moroccan Clash Guarantees Semi-Final Spot
Olympique de Safi will host Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of their tie, ensuring that Morocco will have at least one representative in the semi-finals. The clash pits two sides familiar with each other domestically, adding extra intensity to what is already a decisive knockout encounter.
Egyptian and Algerian Heavyweights in Action
Egyptian giants Zamalek SC will begin their campaign away to Congo’s AS Otoho, a tie that sees the five-time African champions seeking another continental crown.
Meanwhile, Al Masry SC will host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg, in what promises to be a tightly contested North Africa battle.
In another compelling fixture, AS Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo will take on Algeria’s USM Alger, as the Congolese side looks to capitalise on home advantage in the opening leg.
Quarter-Final Fixtures
- QF1: Al Masry (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
- QF2: Olympique de Safi (Morocco) vs Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- QF3: AS Otoho (Congo) vs Zamalek SC (Egypt)
- QF4: AS Maniema Union (DR Congo) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
The quarter-final first legs are scheduled for 15 March, with return fixtures set for 22 March.
Semi-Final Pathway Confirmed
The draw also determined the semi-final bracket:
- SF1: Winner of AS Maniema Union vs USM Alger will host the first leg against the winner of Olympique de Safi vs Wydad Casablanca.
- SF2: Winner of Al Masry vs CR Belouizdad will host the first leg against the winner of AS Otoho vs Zamalek SC.
The semi-finals will be played on 12 April (first leg) and 19 April (second leg).
The team advancing from the semi-finals will host the first leg of the final on 9 May, with the decisive second leg scheduled for 16 May.
With regional rivalries, heavyweight pedigrees, and emerging contenders all in the mix, the knockout stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup promises high drama as clubs across North and Central Africa vie for continental glory.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek, Kaizer Chiefs Drawn Together as CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Unveiled
The draw for the group phase of this season’s African Confederation Cup conducted in Johannesburg on Monday:
Group A: USM Alger (Algeria), Djoliba (Mali), Olympique Safi (Morocco), San Pedro (Ivory Coast)
Group B: Azam (Tanzania), Maniema Union (DR Congo), Nairobi United (Kenya), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Group C: Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), AS Otoho (Congo) Singida Black Stars (Tanzania), Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Group D: Al Masry (Egypt), Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa), Zamalek (Egypt), Zesco United (Zambia)
The top two finishers in each of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals in March.
The group phase starts on Sunday November 23 and will continue through to mid-February.
-Reuters
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