WeeklySA_AdminKICK-OFF: Kaizer Chiefs will learn their first opponents in the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend, with Zambia’s Red Arrows carrying a two-goal advantage into their decisive return leg against Madagascar’s FC Rouge…
By WSAM Sports Reporter
Kaizer Chiefs will keep a close eye on events in Madagascar this weekend as the CAF Confederation Cup First Preliminary Round reaches its decisive stage across the continent.
The Soweto giants are among eight highly ranked clubs exempted from the opening round and will enter the competition in the Second Preliminary Round. They have been drawn against the winners of the tie between Zambia’s Red Arrows and Madagascar’s FC Rouge.
Red Arrows are firmly in the driving seat after securing a 2-0 victory in the first leg at home, with Eliya Mundanji and Alassane Diarra scoring the goals that placed the Zambian side within touching distance of a meeting with Chiefs.
FC Rouge, however, will have home advantage in the return fixture as they attempt to overturn the deficit and earn a potentially lucrative showdown with one of South Africa’s biggest clubs.
Chiefs will be hoping to mount a strong continental campaign after being spared the unpredictable opening qualifying round. They are joined on the list of exempted teams by Al Ahly, Azam FC, USM Alger, CR Belouizdad, AS FAR, Raja Casablanca and AS Maniema Union.
The eight exempted clubs will be joined by the 24 winners emerging from the First Preliminary Round. South Africa’s other representative, Durban City, still have work to do after taking a slender 1-0 advantage into their return encounter against Burundi’s Rukinzo FC on Sunday. The continental debutants will need to protect that lead away from home if they are to advance.
Elsewhere, Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars produced the most emphatic performance of the opening legs by thrashing South Sudan’s Al-Ghazala SC 7-1 in Juba.
Mathew Tegisi scored a first-half hat-trick as Singida effectively placed one foot in the next round. They will now seek to complete the job in front of their home supporters.
Togo’s ASKO de Kara are similarly well positioned after recording a crushing 5-0 away victory over Niger’s AS ZAM, while Egyptian newcomers ZED FC defeated ASAS Djibouti Télécom 4-0.
Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli also impressed on the road, claiming a 3-0 win against KMKM in Zanzibar. Nigeria’s El Kanemi Warriors will take the same advantage into their return fixture.
Angolan clubs Primeiro de Agosto and Kabuscorp de Palanca both earned valuable 2-0 away victories, overcoming Green Mamba and UNAM respectively.
One of the weekend’s biggest tests awaits three-time Confederation Cup champions CS Sfaxien. The Tunisian side must overturn a 1-0 deficit at home after Nigeria’s Shooting Stars won the opening leg through Lucky Emmanuel’s 25th-minute goal.
ES Zarzis, meanwhile, marked their return to continental competition after a 20-year absence with a 3-1 victory over Senegal’s Diambars FC. Khalil Al-Qassab scored twice as the Tunisian club recovered from conceding the opening goal. Several contests remain finely balanced. Hafia FC and AS Douanes drew 2-2, as did Tusker FC and Al Ahli Madani, while three other opening legs finished 1-1.
Beyond the sporting stakes, clubs eliminated during the preliminary rounds will receive a R1,6 million solidarity payment from CAF to help cover travel and logistical costs.
The eventual Confederation Cup champions will pocket R64 million, but for Chiefs the immediate focus will be much narrower: discovering whether Red Arrows or FC Rouge will stand between them and a place in the group stage.
