After an entertaining first round, the CAF champions League enters the last preliminary round where the five teams that got straight passes to the second round come back into the fold.
Defending Champions Wydad Casablanca will start their title defense against newcomers Williamvile AC of Ivory Coast, as finalists Al Ahly will take on CF Mounana of Gabon who beat RC Kadiogo to qualify.
South African Heavy weights Mamelodi Sundowns will start with a tricky away fixture against Rwanda’s Rayon Sports while 2007 Champions League winners Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia will tussle it out with Nigeria’s Plateau United for a spot in the group stages.
The other favorites this season are DR Congo’s League and Confederation Cup winners TP Mazembe who unlike other heavy hitters faces an easier fixture against UD Songo of Mozambique.
One last first round first round preliminary fixture has to be played later this week before the round of 32 kicks off in March. Zanaco of Zambia will be visiting Armed Forces of Gambia with a 3-0 lead to determine who plays Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland in the round of 32.
The 16 winners of the second round ties will advance to the group stage of the CAF champions League while the 16 losers enter the Confederation Cup play-off, joined by the 16 winners of the first round from the CAF Confederation Cup.
Here are the confirmed fixtures of the first round :
- George (Ethiopia) Vs KCCA (Uganda)
2. Zanaco /Armed Forces (Gambia Vs Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)
3. Wydad Casablanca (Morrocco) Vs Williamvile AC (Ivory Coast)
4. Aduana Stars (Ghana) Vs ES Satif (Algeria)
5.Al-Ahly (Egypt) vs CF Mounana (Gabon)
6. MFM (Nigeria) Vs MC Alger (Algeria)
7. Horoya (Guinea) Vs Génération Foot (Senegal)
8. Young Africans (Tanzania) Township Rollers(Botswana)
9. Gor Mahia( Kenya) Vs Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia )
10. Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) Vs Plateau United (Nigeria)
11. AS Togo-Port (Togo) Vs Al-Hilal (Sudan )
12. ZESCO United (Zambia) Vs ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
13.TP Mazembe (DRC) vs UD Songo (Mozambique)
14. Difaâ El Jadidi (Morocco) Vs AS Vita Club (DRC)
15.1º de Agosto (Angola) Vs Bidvest Wits (South Africa)
16. Rayon Sports (Rwanda) Vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
The matches will take place on the 6-7th March for the first round and 16-17th March for the second leg.
Featured Photo: Courtesy of CAF
