CAF Champions League
Deciding matches for first preliminary round this weekend in CAF Interclub clashes
Confirmation to the second round of the Preliminary stages of both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will be decided this weekend, as the return legs of both competitions get underway.
The 2024/25 season of two of Africa’s most sought-after club competitions kicked off to an exciting start last weekend, with clubs across the continent kicking off their continental ambitions.
While the higher ranked clubs and defending champions of both competitions were not in action, the quality of football remains at an all-time high, with the gap gradually narrowing between African club football heavyweights and the rest of the clubs vying for continental glory.
CAF Champions League action on Friday afternoon saw Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers FC playing 1-1 draw at home with US Zilmadjou of the Comoros following last weekend’s 1-0 win for the Nigerians.
Somalia’s Dekadaha face Djibouti’s Arta Solar7 with a comfortable 2-0 first leg win and go into the home leg with a decent advantage that could see them through.
Friday’s marquee tie sees former champions, Orlando Pirates looking to redeem a disappointing performance that saw them draw 0-0 away to Madagascar’s Disciples FC.
They welcome their visitors to the Orlando Stadium where they will be looking at securing a victory.
Other exciting clashes to look out for over the weekend include two ties in Morocco in AS FAR take on Remo Stars of Nigeria, while Raja Casablanca welcomes Niger’s ASGNN FC.
Equally exciting action awaits African football fans in the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend with a number of eye-catching matches to look out for.
Following a closely contested tie in Zimbabwe between Zambia’s Zesco United and Dynamos FC that went 1-0 in favour of the Zimbabweans, Zesco will be aiming at reversing the results in what is primed to be an action-filled encounter.
Last weekend’s four goal-thriller between Togo’s ASCK and AS Fan of Niger concluded with an evenly balanced 2-2 draw, setting up another mouth-watering return leg for this weekend.
In another Southern African derby, Stellenbosch FC who are making their continental debut this season go into their return leg against Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs carrying a comfortable 3-0 win.
-CAF
Nigeria’s sole survivor into the second round of the CAF Champions League, Enugu Rangers have crashed out of the competition. They lost 3-1 to Angola’s Sagrada Esperança this Sunday in Luanda.
The aggregate scoreline is 3-2 as Rangers last weekend won their home game 1-0. Sagrada Esperança opened the game with offensive and got their first goal barely six minutes into the game when Alexandre Fernando found the back of the net.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 33rd minute through Mussa. But four minutes later, Enugu Rangers reduced the tally to 2-1 to carry an away goal advantage into half time.
Jamie Pimpao got the much needed goal for Angola in the 67th minute to seal the hopes of Rangers.
Sagrada Esperança will now go into next month’s draw for the draw of the group stage.
CAF Champions League 2nd Preliminary Round action resumed on Saturday, 14 September following the resumption of the Africa’s premium club competition on Friday.
It was mostly the travelling teams that secured victories away from home on Saturday, who put themselves in fairly comfortable situations ahead of the return leg next week.
Orlando Pirates had a mental obstacle to overcome in Gaborone against Jwaneng Galaxy, having to face the same side that eliminated them in the same phase of the competition last season.
The former champions secured a 2-0 victory in Gaborone to put themselves in a comfortable position ahead of the return leg next weekend.
Five-time champions, TP Mazembe were away to Red Arrows in Zambia where they also put two past their hosts ahead of the return leg in Lubumbashi.
Mamelodi Sundowns, who played their away match in the comfort of their home stadium against Swaziland’s Mbabane Swallows made use of home ground advantage with a comfortable 4-0 win over their neighbours.
Tanzanian champions, Young Africans secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over CBE SA of Rwanda as Tanzanian giants continue to chase a continental title.
It was a rather tough outing for Moroccan outfit, AS FAR when they travelled to Sudan to face Al Merrikh. A highly entertaining encounter concluded with a 2-2 draw, ahead of the return leg in Morocco.
Egyptian side, Pyramids FC also played out to a draw when they were held 1-1 by APR FC in Rwanda.
Burkina Faso side, Association Sportive des Douanes out up an impressive showing when they edged Algeria’s CR Belouizdad by 1-0.
The first leg of the 2nd Preliminary Round concludes on Sunday, with five interesting encounters lined up, including reigning champions Al Ahly kick starting their title defense away from home.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Results & Fixtures:
Friday, 13 September
Enugu Rangers 1 – 0 Sagrada Esperanca
Monastir 0 – 1 MC Alger
Saturday, 14 September
CBE SA 0 – 1 Young Africans
Red Arrows 0 – 2 TP Mazembe
Al-Merrikh 2 – 2 AS FAR
Jwaneng Galaxy FC 0 – 2 Orlando Pirates FC
Maniema Union 2 – 1 Petro de Luanda
Djoliba 1 – 0 ASKO
Douanes 1 – 0 CR Belouizdad
Sunday, 15 September
12h00 GMT | Gor Mahia vs Al Ahly
15h00 GMT | Samartex vs Raja CA
16h00 GMT | San Pedro vs Al-Hilal
16h00 GMT | Dekedaha vs ES Tunis
19h00 GMT | Stade d’Abidjan vs Milo FC
The return leg fixtures of the 2nd Preliminary stage will be played between 20 – 22 September.
-CAF
Enugu Rangers’ patchy form in the CAF Champions League continues as they struggled to beat visiting Angola’s Sagrada Esperance 1-0 in the first leg match played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
It was in similar fashion that they played against Union Sportive de Zilimadjou of Comoros Islands who they beat 2-1 over two legs in Uyo.
Rangers’ lone goal was scored by Kazeem Ogunleye in the 80th minute.
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