CAF Champions League
CBE to debut against SC Villa in TotalEnergies CAF Champions League
Fresh from winning their first ever Ethiopia Premier League title, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (CBE) will face SC Villa (Uganda) in the 1st preliminary round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
While CBE will be making their debut in the continental tournament when the preliminary round kicks off August 16-18th with the first leg, SC Villa will also be returning to the table of men after over 20 years.
The other pairings between teams from the CECAFA Zone when the draw was conducted in Cairo, Egypt on Thursday will see other debutants Al Merriekh Bentiu from South Sudan take on Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), while Arta Solar FC (Djibouti) face Somalia’s Dekehada FC.
Vital’O FC who lifted Burundi’s Premier League title after over six years again, will face an acid test against Young African’s SC (Tanzania) who reached the quarter final last season. Another tough contest expected in the Zone will be between Azam FC (Tanzania) battle Rwanda giants APR FC.
Zanzibar’s JKU SC are not expected to have an easy task either when they play Pyramids FC from Egypt, while the Sudan sides Al Hilal and El Merriekh will take on teams from Libya who are yet not decided since the play-offs are being played in Italy.
The top teams according to ranking Al Ahly, Espérance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Atlético Petroleos and TP Mazembe were exempted from preliminary round.
The second preliminary round will see the winner between Al Merriekh Bentiu and Gor Mahia encounter the reigning champions Al Ahly (Egypt), while FA Tunis awaits the winner between Arta Solar and Dekadaha FC.
Incase Young Africans go past Vital’O in the first preliminary round, they will take on the winner between SC Villa and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC. The winner between Azam FC and APR will also await the winner between JKU SC and Pyramids.
The 16 winners of the second round will advance to the group stage. But for starters the first preliminary matches will be played August 16-18 for the first leg, while the second leg takes place August 23-25th. The second round of the preliminary round is scheduled for September 13-15 for the first leg matches and September 20-22 for the return legs.
Preliminary Round First Leg Matches of the Champions League
M1 & 2: El Merreikh (South Sudan) vs. Gor Mahia (Kenya)
M3 & 4: Arta Solar (Djibouti) vs. Dekadaha (Somalia)
M5 & 6: SC Villa (Uganda) vs. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)
M7 & 8: Vital’O FC (Burundi) vs. Young Africans (Tanzania)
M9 & 10: Azam FC (Tanzania) vs. APR FC (Rwanda)
M11 & 12: JKU SC (Tanzania) vs. Pyramids (Egypt)
M13 & 14: M. Swallows (Eswatini) vs. Fer Da Beira (Mozambique)
M15 & 16: Ngezi Platinum (Zimbabwe) vs. AS Maniema (DR Congo)
M17 & 18: Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi) vs. Red Arrows FC (Zambia)
M19 & 20: African Stars (Namibia) vs. Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
M21 & 22: Disciples FC (Madagascar) vs. Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
M23 & 24: US Zilimadjou (Comoros) vs. Rangers FC (Nigeria)
M25 & 26: St Louis (Seychelles) vs. GDSE (Angola)
M27 & 28: AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) vs. Coton Bénin (Benin)
M29 & 30: AS Leopards (Congo) vs. CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
M31 & 32: Victoria UTD (Cameroon) vs. FC Samartex (Ghana)
M33 & 34: ASGNN (Niger) vs. Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
M35 & 36: AS PSI (Chad) vs. US Monastir (Tunisia)
M37 & 38: Watanga FC (Liberia) vs. MC Alger (Algeria)
M39 & 40: Red Star (Central African Republic) vs. Djoliba de Bamako (Mali)
M41 & 42: CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) vs. Asko de Kara (Togo)
M43 & 44: Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) vs. Teungueth FC (Senegal)
M45 & 46: Milo FC (Guinea) vs. FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
M47 & 48: Bo Rangers (Sierra Leone) vs. San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire)
M49 & 50: Libyan Club 2 vs. Al Hilal (Sudan)
M51 & 52: Libyan Club 1 vs. El Merriekh (Sudan)
M53 & 54: Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs. AS Far (Morocco)
Sudan giants Al Hilal SC have collected a point in their away Group C match against Saint Eloi Lupopo in a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage.
Al Hilal SC settled for a 1-1 draw against the DR Congo side in a match played on Sunday at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi.
Abdel Rayomer silenced the local fans with a 12 minute strike to give Al Hilal the lead.
But the home side grew in confidence, and started creating good scoring opportunities. Petrus Aprocious leveled matters for Saint Eloi Lupopo after 79 minutes to send the fans wild.
The two sides continued to attack hoping to pick maximum points, but to no avail.
Al Hilal are second of Group C with 4 points, with Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) with the same number of points, but a better goal difference. MC Alger and Saint Eloi Lupopo each have one point.
In another game involving a team from the CECAFA Zone, Simba SC (Tanzania) suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Stade Malien in a Group D match played in Bamako.
Taddeus Nikeng Fomakwang and Ismaila Simpara scord for the hosts in the first half, while Neo Maema scored for Simba SC.
The Tanzanian side are now bottom of Group D after two straight defeats, while Petro de Luanda (Angola) and Stade Malien are tied on 4 points each, while ES Tunis have collected two points.
Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC have picked their fourth point in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC collected a vital point in a goalless draw away to JS Kabylie on Friday at the Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium in Algeria.
The draw sent Young SC Africans briefly top of Group B, before the second group match.
In the second match record winners Al Ahly (Egypt) picked a 1-1 draw away to AS FAR in Morocco.
Although Young Africans and Al Ahly have four points each, the Egyptians are top because of a better goal difference.
On Sunday two other teams from the CECAFA Zone will be in action. Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will play away to Saint-Eloi Lupopo in a Group C match in Lubumbashi, while Simba SC (Tanzania) also face Stade Malien (Mali) in a Group D match in Bamako.
Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC have made a winning start in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC defeated AS FAR (Morocco) 1-0 in their opening Group B match played at the New Amaan Complex on Saturday.
Prince Dube Mpumelelo netted the lone goal after 58 minutes in a hotly contested match. The Moroccan side tried to fight back, but failed to bet the well organized Young Africans Sc defending line.
Young Africans SC’s head coach Pedro Gonçalves who was only appointed in October this year said it was good to start the group stage with a win. “We still have a lot of work to do ahead of the many matches to be played,” added Goncalves.
The Tanzanian side are now second in the group after record winners Al Ahly (Egypt) later defeated JS Kabylie (Algeria) 4-1 in Cairo last night.
On Sunday another Tanzanian side Simba SC suffered a 1-0 home defeat to visiting Petro de Luanda (Angola) in a Group D match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Bernardo Dias netted the lone goal after 78 minutes.
Sudan giants Al Hilal SC have made a winning start in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The 10-man Al Hilal side stopped MC Alger (Algeria) 2-1 in the first Group C match played on Friday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Skipper Abdelrazig Omer gave Al Hilal the lead at the stroke of half time after a good assist by Burundian International Jean-Claude Girumugisha.
After recess the visiting team piled pressure and attacked in numbers. The pressure paid off when Mustafa Karshom deflected the ball into his own net to make it 1-1 after 53 minutes. The defender deflected MC Alger’s Oussama Benhaoua’s hard shot.
Mohamed Abdelrahman was on target after 75 minutes to put Al Hilal ahead again. The Sudan team was reduced to 10-players after Salaheldin Alhassan was sent off with four minutes to full time.
Al Hilal opted to play their matches in Rwanda because of the unrest in Sudan. Al Hilal and El Merriekh have also been cleared to play in the 2025/2026 Rwanda Premier League.
Action returns on Saturday when Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC host AS FAR (Morocco) in a Group B match at the New Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. On Sunday Simba Sc (Tanzania) will also be in action in a Group D match against Angola’s Petro de Luanda at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
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