CAF Champions League: Malick Daf blames league inactivity after Teungueth defeat

Teungueth FC coach Malick Daf has blamed the lack of competitive domestic football for his side’s 2-0 defeat by Cameroonian club Colombe Sportive de Douala in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.

The Senegalese coach expressed his frustration after the match, arguing that the absence of official league fixtures had left his players without the preparation needed to compete at continental level.

Daf believes teams should not be expected to perform at their best in African competitions when their domestic leagues have yet to provide regular competitive matches.

He also questioned the decision to delay the start of the Senegalese league, particularly with continental qualifying rounds already under way.

“We can’t shine with a league that lacks competition. You want us to shine with friendly matches? In those matches, there isn’t the same level of competition. Despite everything, we remain silent and we work. How long has it been since the league started before the qualifying rounds for African competitions? This is a problem. There shouldn’t be a postponement of the league, especially since the schedule is already very tight. When a team has to play in an African competition, depriving them of official matches doesn’t help them. But we have to adapt ,” lamented Malick Daf.

The coach’s comments reflect his concerns about the preparation available to Senegalese clubs competing in continental tournaments. With Teungueth facing a difficult task after losing the first leg, Daf believes regular league football would have helped his players approach the tie in better condition.

He argued that friendly matches cannot provide the same intensity and competitive demands as official fixtures, especially when teams are preparing to face opponents from other African leagues.

Teungueth entered the competition as Senegalese champions, but Daf revealed that his team had gone four months without playing an official match before facing Colombe Sportive de Douala.

The prolonged absence of competitive football, according to the coach, has made it difficult for his players to reach the level required for the CAF Champions League.

“We would have preferred to play a few league games before facing this Cameroonian team. We were champions, but it’s been four months since we last played in an official competition. We play friendlies against Wally Daan and Port, but it’s not the same level of competition.”

Daf’s remarks also highlighted the challenges clubs face when domestic league schedules do not align with the start of African competitions. Although Teungueth have continued training and playing friendly matches, the coach believes those preparations have not adequately replaced the demands of competitive football.

The 2-0 loss leaves the Senegalese side needing a stronger performance in the return leg against Colombe Sportive de Douala as they seek to recover from their first-leg setback.

For Daf, however, the defeat has also renewed questions about the timing of domestic league competitions and the impact that delays can have on clubs representing their countries in Africa.