CR Belouizdad set AS Douanes dates as CAF Confederation Cup group stage opener postponed

CR Belouizdad will face Mauritanian side AS Douanes in the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on 23 and 27 November, with the first group-stage match against Zambia’s Red Arrows set to be postponed if the Algerian club progresses.

The first leg has been scheduled for 23 November at 18:00 Algeria time at Stade Cheikha Boidiya in Nouakchott, Mauritania, according to CAF.

The return match will take place on 27 November at 20:00 Algeria time, although the venue has yet to be confirmed.

AS Douanes’ place in the second preliminary round was confirmed after a sports court upheld the Mauritanian club’s qualification at the expense of Guinea’s Hafia Conakry.

In a statement, CR Belouizdad said: “The African Confederation has decided to postpone the first round of the group stage against Red Arrows if the team qualifies, with the match to be played between 11 and 13 December instead of its previous date.”

The Algerian club added that its second group-stage fixture would be played as originally scheduled.

Dispute over Hafia Conakry tie

The first-leg meeting between AS Douanes and Hafia Conakry in the opening preliminary round ended 2-2 in Mauritania. The return fixture had initially been due to take place on 11 September.

AS Douanes were unable to travel to Guinea for the second leg, citing logistical difficulties. The match was subsequently played at a later date and ended in a 1-0 victory for the Mauritanian club, who advanced to the next round.

Hafia Conakry then lodged an appeal, arguing that AS Douanes had not been prevented from travelling by force majeure.

The Guinean club maintained its objection to the CAF decision, saying the failure of the Mauritanian team to arrive in Conakry on 11 September was caused by organisational shortcomings that could have been avoided, rather than exceptional circumstances.

As the dispute was being considered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the second preliminary-round tie between AS Douanes and CR Belouizdad was not played.

The group-stage draw took place without the identity of the final qualifier being known. The winner of the tie was placed in Group C alongside Red Arrows, Congolese club Maniema and Angola’s Singida.

CAF is expected to announce the date for the outstanding fixture before the group stage begins, in order to determine the 16th team in the competition.

The group stage is scheduled to start on one of 27, 28 or 29 November, after the international break.