CAF Confederation Cup
Rivers United make strong statement at home
The CAF Confederation Cup produced interesting outcomes in the late afternoon fixtures that took place on Sunday.
Egyptian giants, Zamalek who won the competition in 2019 narrowly won their opening Group B encounter by a slim 1-0 win over Libya’s Abu Salem at home courtesy of a 73rd minute strike by Youssef Obama.
In a simultaneous Group B fixture, Sagrada Esperanca welcomed Guinean side, CO Coyah to Angola. A goal in each half saw the Angolan side secure maximum points courtesy of Lepua’s 35th minute opener before Luis Tati secured the victory in the 75th minute.
Another Angolan side was in action on Sunday as Academica do Lobito travelled to Nigeria to face Rivers United, who comfortably cruised past the Angolans with a heavy 3-0 scoreline thanks to goals by Samuel Antwi in the 3rd minute, before Paul Odeh and Shedrack Asiegbu put the game beyond reach for the visitors.
In Congo, Diables Noirs suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of Stade Malien.
The Malian visitors wasted no time in punishing what seemed to be a disorganized Diables Noirs defense.
Amadou Traore fired the visitors into the lead in the 4th minute before Yoro Diaby doubled the lead just a few minutes later. With minutes before the break, Issah Yakubu made it three as the hosts went into the break a dejected side.
A consolation was found by Lorry Nkolo in the 69th minute, who converted a penalty to conclude the match with a 3-1 defeat at home.
-Caf
After Nigeria and Benin have been drawn together together in the 2026 World Cup qualifying as well as that of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, another CAF draw has pitched the two teams together.
El-Kanemi will face Dadje of Benin Republic in the opening round of the CAF Confederation Cup. Nigeria’s second team, Enyimba FC are exempted from the first round.
The eight time Nigerian champions will face the winner of Hafia versus Rahimo of Burkina Faso.
CAF Confederation Cup
Enyimba exempted from Preliminary round as El-Kanemi fall in Pot 1 of Confederation Cup draw
Enyimba FC have drawn bye in the preliminary stage of the CAF Confederation Cup which draw will hold in Cairo on Thursday. The Nigerian team is among the 12 highest ranked teams in the competition.
Nigeria’s other representative are in Pot 1 along with 12 other clubs. The CAF Confederation Cup have 52 clubs representing 41 countries.
After the 12 exempted clubs, the remaining 40 clubs shall play in the preliminary round which consist of three ranked clubs and 37 non-ranked clubs according to the official clubs ranking.
Three pots of the 37 non-ranked teams are created considering their geographical proximity. The exempted teams and the ranked teams are distributed geographically.
CAF Confederation Cup
EXCLUSIVE! Abia Warriors’ Federation Cup loss saves Enyimba from CAF Confederation Cup disqualification
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Had Abia Warriors won the President Federation Cup in tie with El-Kanemi Warriors on Saturday, Enyimba FC would have been disqualified from the CAF Confederation Cup.
Entry for the registration for both Confederation Cup and the CAF Champions League close this Sunday.
Sources at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) informed Sports Village Square that the eligibility code for any of the inter-clubs competitions, does not allow two clubs owned fully or partially by the same person or body to feature in the same competition.
Both Enyimba FC and Abia Warriors are known to be owned and funded by the Abia State Government.
Had Abia Warriors prevailed over El-Kanemi, they too, like Enyimba would have qualified for the Confederation Cup.
Like in UEFA clubs competitions, CAF would not have allowed teams owned fully or partially by the same body to feature in the same competition. In this case, the CAF Confederation Cup.
It would be a different issue, if one of the two were to be competing in the Champions League and the other in the Confederation Cup.
This is stated in Section L.03 of Article 55 of the CAF Men’s Licensing Regulations (2022 edition).
In accordance with the Regulations of CAF Confederation Cup which give precedence to the national cup winner over the third placed teams of the league in case of countries that qualified to enter two teams, the sacrificial lamb would have been Enyimba, whose position would have been taken by the next available team, Shooting Stars who placed fourth on the log.
It was partly in accordance to the Section IV of the CAF Confederation Cup Regulations (ENGAGEMENTS) that enabled the fourth placed Kwara United engaged in the 2022 edition as the entry closed while the Nigerian national cup was still at the quarter-final stage.
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