Good tests for El Merriekh, Azam FC, APR ahead of CAF engagements

Teams from the CECAFA Zone been busy during the pre-season with several build-up matches preparing ahead of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup

Sudan’s El Merriekh played in the Value Jet Cup in Ogun State in Nigeria where they bowed out at the semi-final stage.

After missing the regional Dar Port Kagame Cup, El Merriekh who will face Libya’s Al-Nasr in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions 1st preliminary round opted to play in the pre-season tournament in Nigeria where they beat Remo Stars B and Shooting Stars, and lost to Ikorodu City in the group stage. They went on to suffer defeat 3-2 in penalty shoot-outs to eventual winners Remo Stars A after a 1-1 draw in the semis.

Azam FC who pitched camp in Morocco for the pre-season started with a build-up match in Zanzibar against Zimamoto FC that they won 4-0, and during the pre-season camp in Morocco beat US Yakoub Al Mansour 3-0, and settled for a 1-1 draw against Union Touarga. They went on to suffer a 4-1 defeat to top Moroccan Premier League side, Wydad AC. They went on to defeat Rwanda’s Rayon Sport FC 1-0 last Saturday in Kigali in a match played to celebrate Rayon Sport Day.

Youssou Dabo, the Azam FC head coach said after the match in Kigali that the pre-season where the team has played several matches has prepared them well ahead of the busy season. Azam FC will face Rwanda Premier League champions APR FC in the TotalEnergies CAF 1^st preliminary round.

However, APR FC have also been busy through-out the pre-season as they played five matches in the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup where they lost to guest side Red Arrows FC from Zambia in the final. The Rwanda army side also had another opportunity last Saturday when they lost 2-0 in Dar es Salaam to Simba FC who were celebrating Simba Day at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Sudan’s Al Hilal who played five matches in CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup where they finished third are also in Tunisia where they have lined up friendly matches against EGS Gafsa, ES Sahel, Stade Tunisien and CS Sfaxien.

Florent Ibenge, head coach of Al Hilal told cecafaonline that the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup in Dar es Salaam gave them a very good test as they prepare for the 2024/2025 season. “The tournament gave us the opportunity to try out several aspects and we shall add with more games while in Tunisia,” added Ibenge whose team will face another Libya side Al-Ahly Benghazi in the TotalEnegries CAF Champions League 1^st preliminary round.

Before stopping Red Arrows FC 2-1 on Sunday to celebrate Young Africans Day in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC during their pre-season tour of South Africa lost 2-1 defeat to Germany Bundesliga side, FC Augsbury, and recovered to stop South Africa Premier League side Galaxy FC 1-0. They went on to wallop another South African side Kaizer Chiefs 4-0 to win the Toyota Cup.

The other teams that participated in the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup and tested their teams include SC Villa (Uganda), Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), Dekadaha FC (Somalia) and Zanzibar’s JKU SC.