Kenya Police and Burundi’s Rukinzo FC have qualified for the 2^nd preliminary round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

After battling to a goalless draw in the first leg against Horseed FC from Somalia, Rukinzo made no mistake winning the return leg 2-0 in a match played on Friday at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Ramela Hererimana gave Rukinzo FC the lead after 12 minutes, and Issa Bigirimana netted the second goal 18 minutes later.

Kenya Police also stopped hosts Ethiopia Coffee FC 1-0 to qualify for the next round. South Sudan international Rashid Toka headed in ken Police’s goal after 14 minutes at the Abebe Bikila Stadium. But the home side continued to dictate the pace of the game, but failed to find the goals.

Tanzania’s Coastal Union Fc also settled for a goalless draw against Angola’s Bravos do Moquis in a match played on Sunday to bow out on a 3-0 goal aggregate. Algeria’s CA Constantine also ejected Rwanda’s Police FC 4-1 on aggregate.

On Saturday South Sudan Cup holders Jamus lost 4-0 away to Stade Tunisien at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium to bow out on a 5-0 goal aggregate.

In other matches played over the weekend by teams from the CECAFA Zone Uganda’s Kitara FC were ejected by Al Hilal Benghazi (Libya) on a 6-4 goal aggregate, while another Libya side Al Ahli Tripoli also qualified for the 2nd preliminary round after ejecting Uhamiaji FC (Zanzibar) 5-1 on aggregate.

Ugandan international Travis Mutyaba has won the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup with Zamalek SC.

The Egyptian side beat a 10-man RS Berkane (Morocco) 1-0 in the return leg of the final played on Sunday at the Cairo International Stadium. Zamalek who lost the first leg 2-1 qualified on an away goals rule.

Ahmed Hamdi put Zamalek ahead after 23 minutes with the home fans cheering in numbers. Late in the match RS Berkane’s Hamza El Moussaoui received a straight red card.

Although Uganda’s Mutyaba was not on the starting squad for the final, he played some matches to help Zamalek win. ”  I am happy that I have been part of this team that has written history, ” says Mutyaba.

The 19-year old Mutyaba joined Zamalek in February this year. Mutyaba who is considered the next big Ugandan star last year helped the Uganda U-18 team win the regional CECAFA U-18 Championship in the final played in Kisumu, Kenya. He also featured in Uganda Cranes two group matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers losing 2-1 to Guinea and defeating Somalia 1-0.

The attacking midfielder last featured for Uganda Premier League side, SC Villa in the 2022/2023 season before he was reportedly set to join Georgian outfit Dinamo Tbilisi.

Tanzania’s Mbwana Samatta and goalkeeper Dennis Onyango (Uganda) are the other players from the CECAFA Zone that have won CAF competition trophies. Onyango helped Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) win the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League in 2016, while Samatta guided TP Mazembe (DR Congo) to the same title a year before where he also emerged top scorer.

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).

AS Arta Solar shocked Egyptian giants Zamalek 2-0 in a first leg second preliminary round match of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday.

The Djibouti side who ejected Horseed FC (Somalia) 6-0 on goal aggregate in the first round scored two second half goals at the Azam Complex, Chamazi in Tanzania.

Gabriel Dadzie scored one minute into the second half, while midfielder Doualeh Mohamoud Elabeh increased Arta Solar’s lead one minute into extra time.

In Libya the match between Al Hilal Benghazi and Rwanda’s Rayon Sport didnot take place, and will be rescheduled by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

On Sunday Burundi’s Aigle Noir FC will play away to Stade Malien in Mali, while Singida Fountain Gate FC (Tanzania) host Future FC (Egypt) at the Azam Complex, Chamazi. Uganda’s KCCA FC will also play away to Abu Salim FC (Libya) in a match that will take place in Tunisia.

In the other matches involving teams from the CECAFA Zone Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar Kenema will host Club Africain (Tunisia) in Addis Ababa, while South Sudan’s Al Merreikh Juba take on Academica do Lobito (Angola) in a match that will be played in Nairobi.