African top club competition, Orange CAF Champions League, kicked off this weekend. Preliminary Round started with 24 matches across continent. Many clubs, like Zamalek, Orlando Pirates, Enugu, Kano Pillars, Asante Kotoko just to name few, already secured qualification to First Round after big wins in their first legs. Second legs are scheduled for weekend of 1-3 March. First Round (16 ties, 8 teams qualified directly) dates are 15-17 March and 5-7 April and Second Round (First Round winners) is scheduled for 19-21 April and 3-5 May. Winners will qualify to Group stage, while losers will qualify to Confederation Cup Playoff Round Group stage (8 teams split in 2 groups with home and away round robin) will be played through Summer and Fall, with Semifinal and Final held in October/November. Title holder is Egyptian giant Al Ahly.
Preliminary Round is over, and we know First Round pairings. Moghreb Tetouan, Moroccan champion, lost to Casa Sport of Senegal, and that is the only favourite that failed to progress. First Round (16 ties) is set to be played on 15-17 March and 5-7 April, with biggest match being Zamalek (Egypt) - Vita Club (DR Congo). Title holder Al Ahly will face Kenyian side Tusker
Champions League continued last weekend with first legs of First Round. Saint George from Ethiopia migth qualify to next round as they have 2-0 against Malian side Djoliba. In other matches, almost all favourites won in their matches. Al Ahly topped Tusker in Kenya (2-1), Mazembe won in Botswana, Esperance Tunis won in Angola. Strongest encounter was match between Zamalek of Egypt and Vita Club of Congo DR. Egyptians won 1-0. Second legs are in three weeks time.
First Round second legs were played last week. Mostly, favorites qualified to Second Round, with Saint George from Ethiopia and Leopards from Congo upset their rivals. Leopards lost first game at Kano Pillars by 4-1, and in second leg won at home 3-0, with third goal scored in stoppage time. Second Round (April 19-21, May 3-5) Zamalek (EGY) - Saint George (ETH) CA Bizertin (TUN) - Al Ahly (EGY) Orlando Pirates (RSA) - TP Mazembe (COD) Enugu Rangers (NGA) - Recreativo do Libolo (ANG) JSM Bejaia (ALG) - Esperance ST (TUN) FUS Rabat (MAR) - Sewe Sports (CIV) Coton Sport (CMR) - Stade Malien (MLI) AC Leopards (CGO) - ES Setif (ALG) Winners qualify to Group Stage; losers will play in CAF Confederation Cup Playoff Round
Sad. It would have been nice to see a second Nigerian club qualify, but sadly Nigerian club football is still underwhelming. Orlando Pirates and TP Mazembe are some of the best known non-North African teams so that's an interesting matchup. Tunisia and Egypt have qualified two teams a-piece so I would expect one of them to remain favorites. And as I say this apparently Enugu has only managed a 0-0 draw at home to the Angolan club. Didn't expect much there. Nigeria should have a much better club system.
Orlando topped TP Mazembe 3-1, we migth see South African team in group stage after 7 years - Orlando was last to play in last eight, in 2006. I expected to see Nigerian team too but after leg one against Libolo - no.
Anyone watching this anymore?? lol CAF Champions League is in their FINAL Group Stage where the top two teams of Group A and B will face each other for a spot in the Finals and ultimately a spot in this winter's Club World Cup. Currently the final eight teams are comprised of five Sub-Saharan clubs and just three North African clubs, they are: Group A: AC Leopards du Congo Orlando Pirates of South Africa Al-Ahly of Egypt Zamalek of Egypt Group B: Esperance de Tunisie Coton Sport du Cameroun Recreativo do Libolo do Angola Sewe Sport du Cote d'Ivoire
Orlando Pirates and AC Leopards played the first game of the Final Group Stage today. They drew 0-0 in Johannesburg. Libolo and Esperance of Group B face off later today.
I lost interest to write here as there were no other users contributing. I watch it, though, and I am delighted with Libolo's win over ES.
CAF needs to do a much much better job spreading the word on these games! Every now and thne I will remember and watch it, and most of those times I am thrown aback by the quality of those games... but usually only die heart supporters of those clubs even know they had a game!
the only ones that are on supersport are the south african teams, its a complete joke. CAF needs to sell its rights much cheaper, its more important that people can watch the games than it is to line their pockets. it would actually be an investment, if they sell the rights cheap and let more people watch it to grow the fanbase then they will make alot more money from the rights and advertisments down the line
CAF really need to organize this better and have the games out there. It would profit them in no time. For now however these games aere as irritating as not being able to watch African national team qualifiers on television...
Game 1 ends 1-1 at Orlando Stadium. The late equalizer will be enough to keep the Bucs alive in this one, but the away goal looks very costly in what are usually very tight affairs in the CAF CL. It will be difficult to get the necessary away goal in Egypt and even then they're looking at possibly extra time or a shootout away. Difficult task but possible. They'll need a very disciplined result to knock off the champs at their home. http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/South-Africa/LIVE-Orlando-Pirates-v-Al-Ahly-20131101
Sorry, that I wrote in a last year's subject of tournament. Tell me, what occurred in a match Al Hilal - Vita? Sandstorm? It is a lot of injures among fans... And that I watch translation, and I don't understand language and I don't understand that occurs...