Colombe Sportive target first-leg advantage against Stade Malien in CAF Champions League

Colombe Sportive du Dja et Lobo begin their CAF Champions League campaign against Stade Malien on Sunday, 6 September 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 GMT at Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde.

The match is the first leg of the competition’s first preliminary round and will be broadcast on CAF TV.

The Cameroonian champions are making their ambitions clear after retaining their domestic crown. Based in Sangmelima, Colombe Sportive du Dja et Lobo finished first ahead of Dynamo de Douala to win the Cameroon title for a second successive season.

That success followed the club’s first championship triumph in 2024/25, giving Colombe back-to-back league titles and strong momentum before their continental campaign begins.

A first official meeting

Sunday’s fixture will also mark the first official meeting between Colombe Sportive du Dja et Lobo and Stade Malien. The two clubs have never previously faced one another in a competitive match, and their two-legged tie in September 2026 will therefore open a new chapter in their respective histories.

Colombe will be hoping their recent domestic form can translate to the continental stage. The Cameroon side enters the tie as the reigning national champion and will be looking to use the first leg in Yaounde to establish an advantage before the return encounter.

Stade Malien, however, bring considerable experience of African competition. The Malian club is one of the country’s historic sides and has regularly competed in continental tournaments organised by the Confederation of African Football.

That background gives Stade Malien a different kind of strength, even though the club will be playing away from home in the opening match. Colombe’s challenge will be to match that experience with the energy, organisation and confidence that have helped them dominate domestically over the past two seasons.

Match details

– Match: Colombe Sportive du Dja et Lobo v Stade Malien – Competition: CAF Champions League, first preliminary round – Date: Sunday, 6 September 2026 – Kick-off: 15:00 GMT – Venue: Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde – Broadcast: CAF TV

Prediction

Colombe Sportive du Dja et Lobo appear to have the ingredients required to take control of the first leg. Their status as two-time defending Cameroon champions has brought confidence, while playing at home in the preliminary round could prove important.

The side from Sangmelima will also draw on the belief created by consecutive title victories. Against a Stade Malien team with greater experience of CAF competitions but facing an away fixture, Colombe can look to their intensity, collective strength and current momentum to cause an early surprise.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 1-0 victory for Colombe Sportive.