50 Teams begin Orange CAF Champions League campaign
Some players at the just ended Orange Africa Cup of Nations Equatorial Guinea 2015 will be involved in the 2015 Orange CAF Champions League, which commences this weekend with the first leg matches of the preliminary round.
A total of 57 clubs are involved in the battle to succeed Algerian side ES Setif, but six others exclusive of the holders; Coton Sport (Cameroon), AC Leopards (Congo), Al Ahly (Egypt), TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Tunisian duo, CS Sfaxien and Esperance have drawn a bye at the prelims.
This leaves it to 50 clubs in the battle for places at the 1/16th round with interesting fixtures across the continent.
Losing finalists in last year’s Orange CAF Confederation Cup, Sewe Sport of Cote d’Ivoire face a huge test against an ambitious AS Kaloum of Guinea. The Ivorian champions for the past three seasons have a depleted squad following the departure of goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo, midfielder Christian Koffi Kouame and forward Roger Assale to DR Congo outfit, TP Mazembe.
Other dicey clashes include Ahly Tripoli of Libya against Egyptian newcomers Smouha, Angolan side Recreativo do Libolo against Sanga Balende of DR Congo and Stade Malien of Mali versus Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco.
Former winners, Raja Athletic Club of Morocco (winners in 1989, 1997, 1999) and Enyimba of Nigeria (2003, 2004) are also involved in the preliminary round.
The second leg matches will take place in a fortnight.
Fixtures
Friday, 13 February 2015
Al-Ahly Tripoli (Libya) – Smouha (Egypt)
Raja Casablanca (Morocco) – Diables Noirs (Congo)
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Séwé Sport (Cote d’Ivoire) – AS Kaloum (Guinea)
AS Pikine (Senegal) – Etoile Filante (Burkina Faso)
Al-Hilal (Sudan) – KMKM (Zanzibar)
Recreativo Libolo (Angola) – Sanga Balende (DR Congo)
KCCA (Uganda) – Cosmos Bafia (Cameroon)
Lydia Academic (Burundi) – Kabuscorp (Angola)
Mouloudia El-Eulma (Algeria) – St George (Ethiopia)
Gor Mahia (Kenya) – CNaPS Sport (Madagascar)
Al-Malakia (South Sudan) – Kano Pillars (Nigeria)
Real Banjul (Gambia) – Barrack Young Controllers (Liberia)
Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) – Township Rollers (Botswana)
St Michel Utd (Seychelles) – Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Mangasport (Gabon) – Bantu (Lesotho)
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland) – ZESCO Utd (Zambia)
USM Alger (Algeria) – Foullah Edifice (Chad)
Fomboni Moheil (Comoros) – Big Bullets (Malawi)
Azam (Tanzania) – El-Merreikh (Sudan)
Ela Nguema (Equatorial Guinea) – Semassi Sokode (Togo)
Enyimba (Nigeria) – Buffles (Benin)
Liga Muçulmana (Mozambique) – APR FC (Rwanda)
CO Bamako (Mali) – Moghreb Tetouan (Morocco)
Source: CAF
