CAF Champions League
ENYIMBA, PLATEAU UNITED, OTHERS GET NEW CONTINENTAL CALENDAR
Even before kick-off, the calendar for the upcoming continental clubs competition has changed. Since March, there have been disruption of general sporting calendars and the CAF competitions have not been exempted.
The finals of the currently extended season are yet to be played even though the fixtures for the upcoming seasons have been drawn.
The whole episode is occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Nigerian publication, ThisDay, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has for the second time, reverted to midweek fixtures for club competitions for 2020/21 season.
The new development thus meant that both Plateau United and Enyimba FC in Champions League and Kano Pillars in CAF Confederation Cup will be having midweek matches after fulfilling the local league fixtures at weekends when the new season gets under way soon.
ThisDay quoted a CAF official that the latest kick-off date for both the Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions is Friday, 27 November.
Originally, they were set to start on 7 August, and then pushed back to 20 November because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, the two-leg preliminary round matches are slated for 27/29 November and 4/6 December, followed by round-of-32 games on 22/23 December and 5/6 January.
The other dates in both competitions remain unchanged with the first Champions League matchday on 12/13 February and the Confederation Cup series beginning on 10 March.
After six match days come two-leg quarterfinals in May, home-and-away semi finals in June and single-match finals in July.
Four of the 15 Champions League rounds will be staged on Tuesdays or Wednesdays as CAF battles to find match dates in a calendar that must also accommodate national teams.
Six of the 17 Confederation Cup rounds are also scheduled for midweek with three offering clubs a choice of playing on Tuesday or Wednesday and three others on Wednesdays.
Most participants will be unhappy at the prospect of having to stage CAF matches during the week as the system did not work when previously enforced a few years ago.
The sight of tiny crowds dotted around huge stadiums gave the incorrect impression that there was little interest in the competitions.
To reduce electricity costs and avoid the risk of power outages that are common in African countries, many clubs played matches in the afternoon during work days.
This meant that the majority of supporters could not attend because a traditional working day in Africa ends around 1500 GMT.
Afternoon kick-offs did not suit the footballers either with matches often played in stamina-draining temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius or higher.
This problem applies to even the most powerful clubs with TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo — winners of 11 CAF titles — playing midweek matches in the afternoon.
To date, 49 clubs have qualified for the Champions League and 43 for the Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
Heading the Champions League line-up are Al Ahly, whose 0-0 draw with Al Ittihad in Alexandria on Monday ensured them of a top-two finish although they have seven games to play.
Ahly have been African champions a record eight times and face Wydad Casablanca of Morocco during October in the 2019/2020 semi finals.
Zamalek of Egypt and Raja Casablanca of Morocco are the other semi-finalists and both are likely to be back in the elite competition next season.
Raja lead the Moroccan Botola Pro 1 standings while Zamalek hold an eight-point advantage over Al Mokawloon Al Arab in the race for second place behind runaway leaders Ahly.
There will also be numerous debutants, including Forest Rangers, a Zambian club who qualified despite 28 of the staff testing positive for Covid-19 when the season restarted.
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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