This weekend, the qualifying phase of the CAF Champions League reaches a pivotal stage, with 27 first-round, second-leg matches taking place across Africa. Several football heavyweights are looking to secure their place in the second round of the prestigious tournament, with crucial ties lined up across the continent.
South Africa’s Orlando Pirates will aim to take control of their tie against Madagascar’s CNaPS Sport when the teams meet on Friday evening in Soweto.
The first leg ended in a goalless draw last weekend, leaving both sides with all to play for.
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is optimistic but cautious about the challenge ahead.
“We could not manage to capitalize on our chances in the first match to gain an advantage going into the second leg,” Riveiro said.
“But we didn’t concede, and that is important.
We know that it won’t be easy, as they are a strong team, but we will do everything to impose ourselves in Orlando.”
Elsewhere on the continent, other giants are looking to close out their ties on Saturday.
Algeria’s CR Belouizdad carries a 2-0 lead into their home leg against Congo’s AC Leopards, while Morocco’s Raja Casablanca holds a slender 2-1 advantage over AS GNN of Niger as they prepare for their home fixture.
Tanzanian clubs Azam FC and Young Africans are also in commanding positions to advance.
Azam will head to Rwanda with a 1-0 lead for their second-leg clash against APR FC, while reigning Tanzanian champions Young Africans, popularly known as Yanga, boast a commanding 4-0 advantage as they prepare to host Burundi’s Vital’O.
Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi struck a confident tone ahead of the second leg, dismissing suggestions from their opponents that his team would play “ugly football.”
“The other team talked too much,” said Gamondi. “You must have respect.
They said we were going to play ugly, and we said they are nothing.
We showed why we are champions. We are Yanga, a big team, and honestly, I didn’t even know if they existed.”
Sunday’s fixtures will see Al Hilal of Sudan, Ghana’s FC Samartex, and Tunisia’s US Monastir playing at home with first-leg advantages.
However, the standout clash of the day could take place in Rabat, Morocco, where AS FAR will host Nigeria’s Remo Stars.
The Nigerian club holds a 2-1 lead from the first leg, but coach Daniel Ogunmodede knows that the second leg in Rabat will be a stern test for his team.
“We expect a lot of hostility, both on and off the pitch, as is their custom,” Ogunmodede said ahead of the match.
“Their antics are something we are prepared for, and we will be ready for whatever they throw at us.”
In total, 27 winners from this weekend’s matches will progress to the second round of qualifying, where they will be joined by the tournament’s five seeded teams: defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe.
The stakes are high as the road to the group stage heats up, with Africa’s elite clubs aiming to advance in the continent’s most prestigious club competition.
