CECAFA teams Young Africans SC and Al Hilal have been drawn to face-off in the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAf Champions League.

In the draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday afternoon, the Tanzania Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC and Al Hilal (Sudan) are placed in Group A that also five time champions TP Mazembe and MC Alger (Algeria).

To reach the group stage, Young Africans SC ejected Commercial Bank of Ethiopia 7-0 on goal aggregate, while Al Hilal saw off San Pedro 3-2 on goal aggregate at the second preliminary round.

Miguel Gamondi, the Young Africans SC head coach will be eager to see that his team go a step further to perform better than they did last season when they reached the quarter final stage. For Al Hilal, who are now playing in the Mauritania Premier League because of the insecurity in Sudan will hope that they can also push a step better and make it to the knockout stage.

But the CECAFA representatives face tricky opposition in TP Mazembe (five times Champions League winners) and tricky MC Alger from Algeria. Interestingly Young Africans SC will host Al Hilal in their opening match between November 26-27, 2024.

South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns have been placed in Group B together with two teams from Morocco Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat (Morocco), together with Maniema Union (DR Congo).

The defending champions who have won the trophy more than any other team Al Ahly (Egypy) will navigate their path in Group C alongside Belouizdad (Algeria), Orlando Pirates (South Africa) andStade d’Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)

Group D also promises to be a tough one pitting Esperance Tunis (Tunisia), Pyramids FC (Egypt), Sagrada Esperança (Angola) and Mali’s Djoliba FC.

GROUP A

TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Young Africans (Tanzania)

Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)

MC Alger (Algeria)

GROUP C

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Raja Casablanca (Morocco)

FAR Rabat (Morocco)

Maniema Union (DR. Congo)

GROUP C

Ahly (Egypt)

Belouizdad (Algeria)

Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

Stade d’Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)

GROUP D

Esperance Tunis (Tunisia)

Pyramids FC (Egypt)

Sagrada Esperança (Angola)

Djoliba (Mali)

Star player Mohamed Abdelrahman netted the lone goal that sent Al Hilal to the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

After drawing 2-2 in the first leg of the second preliminary round against San Pedro, the Sudan Premier League side picked a hard earned 1-0 win in the return leg match played at the Cheikha Ould Boidiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania on Sunday.

Abdelrahman who netted the two goals in the first leg scored the only goal after 45 minutes. Al Hilal held their nerves to qualify on a 3-2 goal aggregate and join Tanzania’s Young Africans SC as the only teams from the CECAFA Zone that will play in the group stage.

“We are happy that after hard work we have managed to qualify for the group stage,” said a happy Al Hilal coach Florent Ibenge after the match.

The 16 teams that have now qualified the group stage include; Al Hilal (Sudan), Young Africans SC (Tanzania), CR Belouizdada, MC Alger (Algeria), Al Ahly, Pyramids FC (Egypt), AS Maniema Union, TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Orlando Pirates FC (South Africa), Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Raja Club Athletic, AS FAR Rabat (Morocco), Sagrada Esperanca (Angola), Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Djoliba AC (Mali).

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