CAF Confederation Cup
DAYO OJO BELIEVES ENYIMBA WILL SHOUT HOSANNA AFTER HASSANIA CLASH
Enyimba midfielder Dayo Ojo has said a Cup final doesn’t come bigger than his side’s CAF Confederation Cup crucial penultimate clash against Hassania Agadir on Sunday at the Aba International Stadium.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who reached the semi-finals of the second-tier continental competition with Sunshine Stars in 2011, has been one of the mainstays in the People’s Elephant campaign this term and reckons anything short than a demanding African final mentality against the Moroccan visitors would spell doom for their aspirations.
Incidentally, the Moroccans are in pole position in Group B with ten points from their last four matches while Enyimba are second with six points, but Ojo said Sunday’s encounter is a must-win for his side in order to consolidate their position on the table towards qualification for the quarter finals.
“We all know the importance of this upcoming match against Hassania Agadir in Aba,” Ojo told CAFOnline.com
“Sunday’s match against Hassania Agadir is like a Cup final for us because we need a very good result to help us through to the quarterfinals; as such we have to fight our way through.
Hassania is not a small team and the fact that they beat us the last time we met in the group would give us the extra motivation to go against them.”
Enyimba, two-time African Champions, have struggled to impress in recent times and have conceded defeats twice away to Hassania Agadir (2-0) and Paradou AC (1-0) while they claimed victory at home against San Pedro (1-0) and a 4-1 thrashing of Paradou AC.
Now under interim coach Fatai Osho who took over from Usman Abdallah, who parted ways on the back of some insipid results on both the continent and Nigerian soccer scene, Ojo said the Nigerian flagbearers would be up and running.
“Come Sunday, we know what to expect from Hassania. North African teams are usually fast and tricky but we shall be ready to counter them,“ assured Ojo.
“They defeated us 2-0 when we played against them in Agadir with the climate affecting us. But we shouldn’t have any reason to complain on Sunday.
“We just need to work extra hard and be vigilant so that we can get the maximum points that will enhance our position on the log.”
Ojo has been involved in five matches so far but he explained Enyimba have strength in depth to battle their way through this group stage, adding that the whole of the People’s Elephant is greater than the sum of its parts.
“We have so many good players here and honestly, you can’t say this particular player or that player would be the joker for the team,” he assured.
“This is not a team that depends on one or two players because we have so many players that can rise to the occasion when the chips are down; and I’m sure we would all be ready against Hassania on Sunday.”
“I’m here on a mission too; this is my first season with Enyimba and I will be happy to be part of the team that will help them win this particular CAF Confederation Cup which they have not won before.
“I want to win titles because this is one of the best platforms to achieve such dreams and I hope I can realise such dreams in my first season here.
Ojo, who missed the 2-0 away loss to Hassania on Match Day 1, said he personally has a score to settle with the Moroccans after being part of Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles that lost to host Morocco in the final match of the 2018 edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“Every match is an opportunity to learn new things and I can’t forget how the Moroccans beat us in the CHAN final in 2018,” he said.
“I always like to play back and review past matches and I would be sharing so much with my teammates because Moroccans are fast with the ball but we are going to do our best to curtail them in Aba on Sunday,” noted Ojo.
Equally, coach Osho has also weighed-in on the readiness of his wards, saying all hands are on deck to ensure victory on Sunday:
“They (players) have not allowed anything to weigh them down. The attitude in training has been good, and if we continue for the next two days, we’ll be ready (against Hassania Agadir).”
-Caf
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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