Al Merreikh, Young Africans, APR qualify for next stage of CAF Champions League

Six teams from the CECAFA Zone have qualified for the second preliminary round of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Rwanda Premier League reigning champions APR FC were the first to book the ticket to the next phase after a 2-0 win against Gaddidka FC (Somalia) to qualify on a 3-1 goal aggregate.

Apam Bemol and Gilbert Mugisha netted the two goals in the match played at the Kigali Pele Stadium on Thursday.

Bumamuru FC (Burundi) and Sudan’s Al Merreikh also sealed through in other matches played on Friday.

After drawing 0-0 in the first leg, Bumamuru FC humbled the Gabon champions Centre Sportif Bendje 5-1 in the return leg played at the Azam Complex, Chamazi in Tanzania. Ali Shabani Valentin netted a hat-trick, while Mokono Elie Eldhino scored a brace for the Burundi team, while Bienvenu Eroine Ngoua Obibayi scored for the visitors.

Al Merreikh (Sudan) also managed to register a 0-0 draw against Otoho d’Oyo (Congo Brazzaville) to qualify on an away goals rule since they settled for a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Young Africans SC (Tanzania) humbled ASAS FC (Djibouti) 5-1 to qualify on a 7-1 goal aggregate. Maxi Mpia Nzengeli netted a brace, while Hafiz Konkoni, Pacome Zouazoua and Clement Mzize also got their names on the score sheet. Tito Mayor netted a late penalty for the ASAS side.

Uganda’s Vipers SC who reached the group stage of the same competition last season beat Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana) 2-1, but bowed out on a 3-2 goal aggregate. Striker Yunus Ssentamu scored twice in the first half, but Gilbert Baruti scored late after 89 minutes to deny Vipers SC any chance of taking the match into penalty shoot-outs. Al Hilal (Sudan) are also through to the next round after picking a walkover Wau Salaam (South Sudan).

On Sunday St. George FC (Ethiopia) will face Zanzibar’s KMKM SC in the return leg. The winner over two legs will face the reigning champions Al Ahly of Egypt.

The second round of the preliminary round will be played September 15-17 fo the first leg, while the second leg takes place between September 29th to October 1st, 2023. In the next round APR FC will face Pyramids (Egypt), Mumamuru FC will take on South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, while Al Merreikh battle against Young Africans.

Simba SC who will start their campaign in the next round will take on Power Dynamos (Zambia). Al Hilal will wait to face the winner between Orimero de Agosto (Angola) and AS Vita Club (DR Congo).