CAF Champions League
Young Africans, Simba SC face tricky away tests in CAF Champions League quarters
Tanzania Premier League sides and CECAFA flag holders Young Africans SC and Simba SC will this evening face tough tests in return away quarter ties in the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC who drew goalless with 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns SC will take to the field first at the Loftus Stadium, and later Simba SC who lost the first leg 1-0 will enter the fray against Al Ahly at the Cairo Stadium.
Angel Miguel Gamondi, the Young Africans SC head coach has made it clear that his team has believe in themselves and they are ready to go all out to try and get a positive result o take us to the next stage. Although he did not indicate if Khalid Aucho who missed the first leg due to injury will feature, the Ugandan midfielder is part of the squad in Pretoria.
“We need to use our chances because we failed to convert some during the first leg. We expect a very tough match because we are facing a good side,” added Gamondi.
Mahlatsi Makudubela, Young Africans SC’s South African attacking midfielder has also said they have done their homework and are ready to face the Mamelodi Sundowns.
Later Simba SC who are hungry to make it to the last four after reaching the quarter final stage again last season will be hoping to get their tactical approach right and find the goals that eluded them in the first leg.
Simba SC coach Abdelhak Benchikha has said they have tried to rectify some mistakes and are determined to go all out in the return leg. “We must make sure we score because we are creating many opportunities in-front of goal. But we must also defend well,” added the coach. In the inaugural African Football League last year, Simba SC drew a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Dar es Salaam against Al Ahly, and settled for a 1-1 draw in second leg in Cairo, but the Egyptians qualified for the next phase on an away goals rule.
On Saturday two more quarter final matches will be played with Atletico Petroleos hosting DR COngo’s TP Mazembe in Angola, while ASEC Mimosas play host to Esperance (Tunisia) in Ivory Coast.
The winner between Simba SC and Al Ahly will prepare to battle the winner between Esperance de Tunis and ASEC Mimosas at the semi-final stage, while the winner between Young Africans SC and Mamelodi Sundowns will take on the winners between TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.
Rwanda Premier League giants APR FC have qualified for the second preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
After losing the first leg 1-0 to Les Aigls du Congo last weekend, APR FC defeated the DR Congo side 3-1 in the return leg played at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday.
Skipper Djibril Quattara netted in each half, while Christian Ishimwe also got his name on the score board after 58 minutes.
The match started with a high tempo with APR FC cheered on by the home fans attacking in numbers. After 32 minutes Quattara put the home side ahead and went into the interval without more goals.
Ishimwe made it 2-0 after 58 minutes, before Quattara picked his brace after 75 minutes. The win saw APR FC qualify on a 3-1 goal aggregate.
“I thank the team for responding well and getting the goals that have seen us qualify for the next round,” said APR FC’s head coach Abedrabbihi Taleb after the match.
APR FC will now wait to face the winner between AS Port (Djibouti) and former champions Zamalek (Egypt) in the second round of the preliminary stage. Zamalek lead 2-1 after the first leg and the return leg will be played on Saturday in Cairo, Egypt.
Action returns on Saturday with more teams from the CECAFA Zone in action. Al Hilal SC (Sudan) with a 2-0 advantage host Angie Noir FC (Burundi) at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, while Young Africans SC (Tanzania) host Gaborone United FC from Botswana at the Azam Complex.
South Sudan’s El Merriekh SC Bentiu with a 1-0 advantage will face Heegan FC (Somalia), Al Merrikh SC (Sudan) play away to Power Dynamos FC in Zambia.
On Sunday Zanzibar’s KVZ FC will play away to Swehly FC In Libya, Vipers SC (Uganda) face FC Noundhibou in Mauritania, Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) play Pyramids FC in Egypt, while Simba SC (Tanzania) host Mighty Wanderers FC.
Sudan top sides Al Hilal SC and Al Merrikh SC have kick started their 2026/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaigns with wins in the first leg first preliminary round.
Al Hilal SC, quarter finalists last season collected a 2-0 win away to Burundi’s Aigle Noir at the national Stadium in Bujumbura.
Yasser Al Shahrani and Salim Adams scored in each half to ensure the Sudan team take the advantage back to Kigali where the return leg will be played next weekend.
Another Sudan side Al Merrikh SC also defeated Power Dynamos FC (Zambia) 1-0 in the first leg played on Saturday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. Bashir Bangoura converted a penalty after 39 minutes for the only goal of the match.
In other matches played on Saturday, South Sudan Premier League reigning champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu defeated Heegan FC (Somalia) 1-0 wit Tot Maet scoring the lone goal.
Ethiopia’s Sidama Bunna FC collected an away goalless draw away to Aigions FC N’Djamena of Chad, while Uganda’s Vipers SC were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania). Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC also picked a 1-1 draw away to Gaborone United in Botswana.
On Friday Zanzibar’s KVZ FC suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Al Swehly SC in Libya, while AS Du Port from Djibouti also lost 2-1 to Zamalek in a match played in Cairo.
Action continues on Sunday with Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC hosting Pyramids FC (Egypt), while Tanzania’s Simba SC also play away to Mighty Wanderers FC in Malawi.
Collected CAF Champions League results for CECAFA teams
Al Swehly 1 KVZ FC 0
AS Du Port 1 Zamalek 2
Aigle Noir 0 Al Hilal SC 2
El Merreikh SC Bentiu 1 Heegan FC 0
Vipers SC 1 FC Nouadhibou 1
Al Merriekh SC 1 Power Dynamos 0
Aigions FC N’Djamena 0 Sidama Bunna FC 0
Gaborone United 1 Young Africans 1
Sudan’s Al Hilal SC have been drawn against Burundi Premier League champions Aigle Noir CS in the first preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The draw was conducted on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.
The 2025/2026 quarter finalists Al Hilal SC will play the first leg in Burundi between September 4-6th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13th.
Incase they go past the first hurdle, Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will then face the winner between Aigloms FC N’Djamena (Chad) and Sidaama Buna FC (Ethiopia).
“The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us good preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League,” says Al Hilal SC head coach Guy Bukasa Misakabu.
South Sudan Premier League champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu will also make a return to the competition when they face Heegan SC (Somalia), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Pyramids FC (Egypt) in the first preliminary round.
Uganda’s Vipers SC will take on Mauritania’s giants FC Nouadhibou, APR FC (Rwanda) face Les Aigles Du Congo, while Young Africans SC (tanzania) play Botswana’s Gaborone Utd FC.
The three highest-ranked clubs earned a bye through the first preliminary round: South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance and Renaissance Berkane.
The second preliminary round follows a similar pattern. First legs fall between 16 and 18 October, and the return matches take place from the 23rd to the 25th.
Sudan’s Al Hilal SC are out of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
After picking a 1-1 away draw against Morocco’s RS Berkane, Al Hilal suffers a 1-0 defeat in the return leg played on Sunday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Munir Chouiar netted the lone goal after 93 minutes to ensure RS Berkane qualified for the semi-final stage on a 2-1 goal aggregate.
Chouiar made amends after his penalty had been saved by the Al Hilal SC goalkeeper earlier in the 61st minute.
Few minutes into the second half the Sudan side thought they had taken the lead through Adama Coulibaly, but after VAR review, the goal was ruled out.
Laurentiu Regecamp, the Al Hilal SC coach said that although his team is eliminated from the competition, his team should be able to learn something from this.
RS Berkane now join other teams Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), ES Tunis (Tunisia) and another Moroccan side AS FAR in the semi-final stage.
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