CAF Champions League
LOBI STARS, RANGERS AIM TO GO FURTHER IN AFRICA
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
The campaign to have Nigerian clubs register impressive results in CAF club competitions sees Lobi Stars and Enugu Rangers on the road as two tournaments conclude the first leg of their first round matches this weekend.
Lobi Stars, the Nigerian Premier Football League champions, will take the field on Sunday at the Moi International Sports Complex, Nairobi against Kenya’s dominant club Gor Mahia, while Rangers have their turn earlier on Saturday in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria against USM Bel Abbès.
The Ortom Boys, as Lobi Stars are fondly called in honour of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, navigated Cameroon’s UMS de Lou 2-1 aggregate in the preliminary round, losing 0-1 away in the first leg.
Also known as the “Pride of Benue”, Lobi Stars are up against a Gor Mahia team which boost of experience in continental competitions. K’Ogalo won the African Cup Winners Cup in 1987 and have featured in that competition (now known as CAF Confederation Cup) seven times.
Gor Mahia were defeated at this stage in this same competition last edition by eventual champions Espérance, and would strive not to have a repeat experience having not gone past the quarterfinals in all 12 times of qualifying for the tournament, whether as CAFChampions League or as African Cup of Champions Clubs.
Kenya’s most successful club with 17 Premier League crowns struggled through the preliminary round to qualify to face Lobi Stars. A lone goal victory over Malawi’s Nyasa Big Bulletsi n Nairobi on November 28 was followed by the same margin of defeat in the reverse fixture. The Kenyan squad had to go through nail-baiting penalty shootouts to survive.
In recent time, Gor Mahia have played English PremierLeague side Everton losing 0-4 at Goodison Park, while also losing the Kenyan SuperCup match to Kariobangi Sharks 0-1. Zedekiah Otieno’s team started the defence of their Premier League title with a 1-2 defeat by to Bandari on December 8 but returned four days later to beat Zoo Kericho 4-0 to lead the table having played two matches as against one by their hot chasers.
For Gor Mahia fans however, there is the concern of a brewing players’ revolt which Lobi Stars may capitalise on. Two days to the fixture, the players threatened to down boots over unpaid salaries.
“We might skip the match and give them (Lobi Stars) a walkover. This is becoming too much. Can you imagine staying without salary and they want you to perform on the pitch?” a top player, who sought anonymity told Goal.com.
Lobi Stars have not played too many competitive matches as the NPFL current season is yet to commence. Apart from the two fixtures against their Cameroonian opposition, the only other game by the Makurdi-based side was the 1-0 victory in the NFF SuperCup against Rangers on November 20.
Coach Solomon Ogbeide and his team will be reminded that the only other time they ever participated in this competition in 2000, they reached the group stage but finished third behind compatriots Heartland as well as Ghana’s Heart of Oaks and Al-Ahly of Egypt.“Of course, we know that Gor Mahia are a very big club from Kenya but the business…is the match on the field of play and Lobi Stars are also a big team,”Ogbeide boasted in an interview with cafonline.com.
For Rangers, it was easy passage from the preliminary to the first round. Ethiopia’s Defence SC fell apart 2-0 in Enugu and 3-1 in front of their fans.
The Flying Antelopes were African Cup Winners Cup way back in 1977, having reached the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs two years earlier. In all, Rangers have featured in the Champions League (including when it was the African Cup of Champions Clubs) 10 times.
Rangers’ opponents USM Bel Abbès won this year’s Algerian Cup to qualify for this competition but are currently 10th in the domestic Ligue 1.They had played much of their life in the lower division.
Bel Abbès were in the African Cup Winners Cup in 1992, exiting in the second round. This is their first time in Africa since that competition was merged with the then CAF Cup to form the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004.
In the preliminary round, USM Bel Abbès beat Liberia’s LISCR FC 4-1 aggregate.
While the aggregate winners in the Champions League will go ahead to do battle in the 16-team group stage of four teams per group, the losers will descend to the Confederation Cup to face winners of the competition’s first round matches in the playoff, which will decide the 16teams for the group phase.
Saturday’s fixtures…
2018/19 CAF Champions League (First round first leg):
- JS Saoura (Algeria) v Ittihad Tanger (Morocco) (5:45pm)
- Stade Malien (Mali) v ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire) (6pm)
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) v ASC Diaraf (Senegal) (7pm)
- Orlando Pirates (South Africa) v African Stars FC (Namibia) (7:15pm)
2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup (First round first leg):
- USM Bel Abbès (Algeria) v Enugu Rangers (Nigeria) (4pm)
- Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) v Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) (4pm)
- Kariobangi Sharks (Kenya) v Ashante Kotoko SC (Ghana) (1pm)
- KCCA (Uganda) v Mtibwa Sugar (Tanzania) (2pm)
- Al-Ahli Tripoli (Libya) v New Star FC (Cameroon) (2pm)
- Green Eagles (Zambia) v NA Hussein Dey (Algeria) (2pm)
- Al-Masry (Egypt) v Salitas FC (Burkina Faso) (3.30pm)
- DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) v FC San Pédro (Côte d’Ivoire) (3:30pm)
- RS Berkane (Morocco) v Al-Ittihad (Libya) (5pm)
- Al-Hilal Al-Ubayyid (Sudan) v Mukura Victory Sports (Rwanda) (5:30pm)
- Zamalek (Egypt) v AS CotonTchad (Chad) (6pm)
- CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) v Green Buffaloes (Zambia) (6pm)
- Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) v ASSM Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) (7:15pm)
Sunday’s fixtures…
2018/19 CAF Champions League (First round first leg):
- Gor Mahia (Kenya) v Lobi Stars (Nigeria) (2pm),
- AS Vita Club (DR Congo) v Bantu FC (Lesotho) (2:30pm)
- AS Otôho(Congo Republic) v FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) (3:30pm)
- Ismaily (Egypt) v Coton Sport (Cameroon) (4pm)
- Al-Ahly Benghazi (Libya) v Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) (4pm)
- TP Mazembe (DR Congo) v ZESCO United (Zambia) (4:30pm),
- Club Africain (Tunisia) v Al-Hilal (Sudan) (5pm)
- Nkana (Zambia) v Simba (Tanzania) (11pm)
2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup (First round first leg):
Raja Casablanca (Morocco) v Cercle Mbéri Sportif (Gabon) (5pm)
From the original 54 teams from 42 countries that began the race last year, the CAF Champions League has now narrowed to four teams as a whopping 50 have been eliminated.
The four elite clubs in the semi-finals are Al Ahly of Egypt, Esperance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
Title holders and record champions Al Ahly are still on track to defend their title as they beat Simba SC in Cairo to secure their place while four-time winners Esperance Sportive de Tunis were made to labour hard against Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.
The reigning African Football League (“AFL”) Champions and 2025/16 winners Mamelodi Sundowns were pushed to the end by Tanzania’s Young Africans in South Africa.
Five-time winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo pulled one of the best performances this weekend with a 2-1 away win over Atletico Petroleos of Luanda after the first leg ended goalless.
The semis will be played on home and away basis on 19-20 April 2024 (first leg) with the Second Leg scheduled for 26-27 April 2024.
In the first semi-final, Al Ahly (Egypt) will play TP Mazembe (DR Congo) in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Esperance Sportive de Tunis will play Mamelodi Sundowns in the second semi-final.
CAF will announce the dates and kick-off dates in due course.
Egyptian giants Ahly took a significant stride towards securing a spot in the CAF Champions League semifinals following their hard-fought 1-0 win against Tanzania’s Simba on Friday, thanks to an early goal by midfielder Ahmed “Koka” Nabil.
Right from the start, the hosts launched relentless attacks, aiming to find an early breakthrough. However, Ahly’s resolute and well-organized defense thwarted all of their attempts.
Simba’s first notable chance came when midfielder Sadio Kanouté headed a cross from Clatous Chama following a corner, but his effort sailed over the bar from close range.
Just four minutes into the game, Ahly defender Mohamed Hany found himself in possession on the right side of Simba’s field. He cut inside and delivered a cross that was mishandled by the defense, leading to a powerful shot from Koka. The ball ricocheted off the head of the Simba goalkeeper, struck the post, and ultimately found the back of the net.
Despite Simba’s control of the match, as they pushed forward in search of an equalizer, Ahly’s solid defense and the heroics of goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier denied them any scoring opportunities. Ahly relied on swift counterattacks but their attempts to extend their lead fell short.
Shobier produced a magnificent save in the 39th minute, blocking Che Malone’s right-footed shot from the center of the box. He came to the rescue again just before halftime, denying Sadio Kanouté’s right-footed shot from the right side of the box and turning it into a corner.
In injury time, Shobier made another brilliant save, stopping Saïdi Ntibazonkiza’s close-range effort, which rebounded to Shomari Kapombe, who shot the ball high over the bar.
In the second half, Simba continued to dominate proceedings but failed to find the equalizing goal despite their persistent efforts.
Ahly coach Marcel Koller made a tactical double substitution in the 67th minute, introducing Reda Slim for Hussein El-Shahat and Taher Mohamed Taher in place of Percy Tau.
The move injected new energy into Ahly’s attack, with the Moroccan talisman creating two opportunities for the Red Devils.
Koller later made another double substitution, bringing on Kahraba for Modeste and Afsha for Attia.
In injury time, Kahraba had a chance to extend Ahly’s lead when he received a long ball from Afsha, but he struggled to control it. A minute later, Kahraba received a cross from Slim and entered the box, but once again his finishing touch eluded him.
With this narrow victory, Ahly now hold the advantage and move closer to securing a spot in the semifinals, with the second leg taking place in Cairo on Friday.
-Ahram
- Esperance Sportive de Tunis celebrating 105 years of existence
- Four continental titles to their name and looking to add their fifth
- Miguel Cardoso to possibly end continental trophy drought
It has been almost five years since Tunisian giants, Esperance Sportive de Tunis tasted continental success when they lifted the CAF Champions League trophy.
What was their fifth CAF Champions League title, has since been their last and for their high standards, this is something the Tunisians will be looking at overturning this season, starting with the two-legged Quarter-Finals clash with former champions Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.
With more than a 100-year history, the oldest club in Tunisia famous for its red and yellow is certainly one to look out for in this season’s edition of the CAF Champions League as they kick start their knockout stage on Friday 29 March with the return leg in Abidjan scheduled for 05 April.
Brief History
Esperance Sportive de Tunis was formed in 1919 and is regarded as the oldest football club in Tunisia, with 105 years to their rich history. They play their home matches at the Stade Hammadi Agrebi in Brades which boasts 60 000 capacity seating.
Local titles
Esperance Tunis is considered the most decorated club in Tunisia, having won the local league title 32 times, the Tunisian Cup 15 times, and the Tunisian Super Cup 6 times.
Continental journey
The Tunisians have four CAF Champions League titles as well as one CAF Super Cup which dates back to 1995.
Coach: Miguel Cardoso
Esperance appointed Portuguese coach, Miguel Cardoso in January. The 51-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the club, having worked in several clubs as an assistant coach. These include Braga SC, Sporting Lisbon, Deportivo La Coruña and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Key player: Mohamed Amin Tougai
The Algerian defender, Mohamed Amine Tougai, is considered the pillar of strength in the Tunisian defense since joining the club back in 2019. Strong and good in arial duels, Tougai will be instrumental in helping his team keep clean sheets in these crucial stages of the competition.
-CAF
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