Bahir Dar Kenema, Rayon Sport, KCCA FC fail Confederation Cup test

All seven teams from the CECAFA Zone last weekend failed to advance to the group stage of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup

Burundi’s Aigle Noir FC hosted Mali’s Stade Malien at the Azam Complex last Friday and won 3-1, but bowed out on an away goals rule scored by the visitors since they had tied 3-3 on aggregate.

On Saturday Djibouti’s Arta Solar who started the match with a 2-0 advantage suffered a 4-1 defeat to hosts Zamalek FC in Cairo, Egypt. They got eliminated on a 4-3 goal aggregate, while Uganda’s KCCA FC also stopped Abu Salem FC (Libya) 3-2 at the St. Marys Stadium, but bowed out 5-4 on aggregate.

It was also a sad day for Rwanda’s Rayon Sport who played the two matches against Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi, but still failed to sail through to the group stage. The two legs ended 1-1 respectively, but the Libya side won 4-2 during penalty shootouts.

On Sunday three other teams from the CECAFA Zone Bahir Dar Kenema, Al Merriekh Juba and Singida Fountain Gate FC were also eliminated.

The Ethiopian side Bahir Dar Kenema who won the first leg 2-0 suffered a 3-0 defeat away to Club Africian in Tunisia, while South Sudan’s Al Merriekh Juba also fell 3-0 away to Academicado Lobito in Angola.

Tanzania’s Singida Fountain Gate FC were ejected by Future FC (Egypt) 5-2 on aggregate after they suffered a 4-1 defeat in the second leg.

Last season the CECAFA Zone had Young Africans SC from Tanzania play in the group stage and eventually reached the final where they lost to USM Alger (Algeria).