CECAFA representatives Young Africans SC and APR FC will be all out to try and make their return legs count later today and qualify for the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

The Tanzania Premier League reigning champions stopped Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (CBE) 1-0 in the first leg of the second preliminary round, and will be hungry to win this afternoon when the two teams face-off again at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.

Miguel Gamondi, the Young Africans SC head coach has made it clear that his team must go out and look for early goals. “We must improve and look for more goals because this match is crucial,” added the coach.

But Sisay Kebede Kumbe, the CBE coach has also made it clear that they have come for a serious mission. “We know how we must handle Young Africans,” added the coach.

Rwanda’s APR FC who drew 1-1 against Pyramids FC in the first leg in Kigali also have yet another chance to try and get to the group stage when they battle the Egyptian side at the 30 June Stadium in Kigali.

Darko Novic, the APR FC coach has made it clear that they must take the scoring opportunities they create, but also play and defend as a unit. “The team is looking very motivated and ready for the match,” he added.

After losing the first leg match by a big margin, Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC will face a tough task against African giants Al Ahly later today at the Cairo International Stadium. The Egyptian side won the first leg 3-0 last weekend in Nairobi.

Somalia’s Dekedeha FC who suffered a 4-1 defeat in the first leg will also be in action against the same Esperance de Tunis side.

On Sunday two Sudan Premier League sides Al Hilal and El Merriekh will also be in action as they hope to secure places in the group stage. Al Hilal who picked a 2-2 draw in the first leg will host Ivory Coast’s San Pedro FC in Mauritania, while El Merriekh who also drew 2-2 in their home match played in Juba will take on Morocco’s AS FAR at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Sudan’s Al Hilal have earned a vital 2-2 away draw against FC San Pedro in a first leg tie of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League second preliminary round.

Handled by Florent Ibenge, the Al Hilal team battled from 2-1 down to level matters and improve their chances of making it to the group stage.

The Ivorian team took the lead after 32 minutes through Guy Bedi, but Mohamed Abdel Raman made it 1-1 after 42 minutes. After the interval San Pedro defender Goudouss Bamba restored their lead after 65 minutes, but Raman made sure he netted his second with six minutes to the end of the tie to keep the Sudan team with hopes of making it to the group stage.

In another match played on Sunday involving a team from the CECAFA Zone, Kenyan giants Gor Mahia FC suffered a 3-0 defeat to African giants Al Ahly from Egypt in a match played at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

Rami Rabia and Percy Tau scored for the Egyptian side in the first 15 minutes, and the South African International Tau netted his second goal of the day after 74 minutes.

In Tunis, Somalia’s Dekedeha FC lost 4-1 to Esperance de Tunis.  The Tunisian champions took a 27th minute lead through Yan Sasse, but Nigerian import Adepoji Oluwasen leveled matters for Somali Premier League reigning champions Dekedaha FC two minutes into added time of the first half.

After recess Youcef Belaili scored a brace and Yassine Meriah also scored one goal to help Esperance de Tunis register a comfortable win.

In the matches played on Saturday, Tanzania’s Young Africans SC picked a slim 1-0 win away to Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC 1-0 in a match played at the Abebe Bikila Stadium. New signing Zimbabwe International Prince Dube netted the lone goal after 45 minutes.

At the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, APR FC settled for a 1-1 draw against Pyramids FC from Egypt. The Rwanda army side took a first half lead through an own goal by Mohamed Chibi, but DR Congo International Fiston Mayele Kalala leveled matters late in the match.

Sudan’s Al Merriekh who hosted AS FAR (Morocco) at the Juba National Stadium in South Sudan could only manage a 2-2 draw. Elsamani Elsawi and Mohamed Gbane scored for the hosts, while Mohamed Hrimat and Abdelfettah Hadraf got their names on the scoring sheet for the visitors.

The return legs of the second preliminary round to determine the 16 teams that will qualify for the group stage will be played between September 20-21st, 2024.

Collected results

Dekedeha FC 1 Esperance de Tunis 4

FC San Pedro 2 Al Hilal 2

Gor Mahia 0 Al Ahly 3

APR FC 1 Pryamids 1

Al Merriekh 2 AS FAR 2

 CBE 0 Young Africans 1

Four teams from the CECAFA Zone will be in action in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Sudan’s Al Merriekh and Rwanda reigning champions APR FC will face tough home tests against AS FAR and Pyramids FC respectively.

Al Merriekh who ejected Libya’s Al Nasr in the first preliminary round 2-0 on aggregate will host the tricky Moroccan side at the Juba National Stadium in South Sudan.

At the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali APR FC will come face to face with Pyramids who eliminated cted them last season 6-1 on aggregate.  The Rwanda side will be eager to make use of the home advantage before traveling to Cairo for the return leg.

Foreign recruits Aliou Souane (Senegal), Richmond Lamptey (Ghana), Seidu Yussif Dauda (Ghana), Mamadou Sy (Mauritania), Lamine Bah (Mali) and Godwin Odibo (Nigeria) are some of the players expected to play key roles for the APR side. The Pyramids team will look to the likes of Congolese striker Fiston Malele.

Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC will also play away to Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) are the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa. While Young Africans ejected Vital’O from Burundi 10-0 on aggregate, and CBE saw off SC Villa from Uganda 3-2 on aggregate in the first round.

Another team from the CECAFA Zone Dekedeha FC from Somalia will play away to Esperance de Tunis at the Stade Hammodi Agrebi in Tunis.  

On Sunday Kenyan giants Gor Mahia will face their biggest teat when they host African giants Al Ahly from Egypt at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. The same day Sudan’s Al Hilal will play away to Ivory Coast’s San Pedro.

The 16 winners of the second round will advance to the group stage.

The head coach of Gor Mahia FC has said they are going to strategise and plan well before they face giants Al Ahly in the 2^nd preliminary round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League next month.

The Kenyan Premier League reigning champion last weekend ejected South Sudan’s El Merriekh Bentiu 5-2 on goal aggregate to book a place against Al Ahly in the next stage.

Leonardo Neiva, the Gor Mahia coach has made it clear that although Al Ahly is a big team that has won several Cups on the continent, they will not be scared.

The coach has made it clear that they will employ a more conservative approach in the match against the Egyptian side,

“Against, Al Ahly we will try our best and play football. Obviously, we cannot expose ourselves and therefore our shape and model will be different. We have enough time to prepare for them,” added the coach.

Besides the 38 national cup titles, 14 national Super Cups, 12 CAF Champions League titles, a CAF Confederation Cup, Al Alhy have also lifted seven CAF Super Cups

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone that will battle in the 2^nd preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League include Somalia’s Dekedaha FC who will face Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), while Rwanda’s APR Fc will take on Pyramids FC (Egypt). Commercial Bank of Ethiopia will face Young Africans SC (Tanzania) while the Sudanese sides Al Hilal and El Merriekh take on San Pedro (Ivory Coast) and AS FAR (Morocco) respectively.

The first leg of the 2^nd preliminary round will be played between September 13-15^th, while the return legs will take center stage September 20-22.

CAF 2^nd round preliminary round for CECAFA teams

Gor Mahia vs Al Ahly

Dekedaha FC vs Eseperance de Tunis

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia vs Young Africans SC

APR FC Vs Pyramids FC

San Pedro Vs Al Hilal

Al Merriekh Vs AS FAR