African Champions League: Football’s who’s hot and who’s not


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The best teams in Africa face each other in order to grab one of the 17 spots available for the group stage of the African Champions League. Primeiro de Agosto, Coton Sport, Haras El Hodoud, FC 105, ASFAR, Stade Malien, Enyimba, AS V Club, Simba, ES Sahel, CS Sfaxien and Zesco are already waiting.

African Champions league resumes this weekend through out the continent with some teams having little time to celebrate their achievements.

In the first leg preliminary round of games two weeks ago, of the 24
matches played, 8 were in favour of host teams, 7 matches ended in
draws and 9 teams won their away games.

South Africa’s SuperSport United, crowned Absa Premiership champions for the third successive season Wednesday night – has no much time to rest on their laurels.

While winning a third league title will take a while to sink in, it’s back to business Saturday night as it take on Mbabane Swallows. Supersports carry a healthy 3-1 lead and are expected not to falter.

Fellow league mates, Orlando Pirates who are again firing blanks, will play Gaborone United at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

Pirates, fading giants in South Africa drew 0-0 in the first leg in the Botswana capital.

Pirate’s lifted the trophy way back in 1995.

Nelson Mandela 48000-seater Stadium will host eight World Cup matches including a fourth and third-place play-off.

Zimbabwe’s reigning champions Lengthens are away in Madagascar with
date with AS Adema in Antana-narivo on Saturday. Lengthens carry a 2-1 lead from the first leg and hope to storm into
the first round.

Team manager Robert Matoka announced an unchanged team from the first leg in Harare. “We are ready to complete the task when we play AS Adema and the boys are raring to go.The team’s morale is high and we promise to finish off Adema in their own backyard,” said Matoka before departure.

AS Adema — who impressed a lot of local fans with their pace — use
Mahamasina Stadium in Antananarivo. Caps United – also of Zimbabwe are away to Mbabane Highlanders of Swaziland on Sunday.

Caps United have a slight advantage having secured a 1-0 home win.
Team manager Wilson Mutekede can’t afford to sit back and allow Mbabane Highlanders to come at them.

“We have a complete team of offensive and defensive players .We are
not going to sit back and try and defend the lead that we have” he
said.

Meanwhile reports from Mbabane indicate that the entire nation is
bracing for Sunday’s showdown.

Mbabane Highlanders’ Zambian coach Happy Simfukwe said “This is a
crucial game for us. We’re doing all we can to win this match but
what’s important is that all Swazis be very patriotic, cheer the team
from start to finish”

After falling 1-0 to Uganda’s URA, Zanaco FC of Zambia would need
to up their game in front of home crowd.

URA need to a win in Lusaka or secure any draw to guarantee
qualification to the first round.

Midfield dynamo Kaweesa Manco scored the winner on the stroke of full time.

 Saturday Fixtures

Ajesaia v USS Tamponnaise;

Tiko United v Vital ‘O;

SuperSport United v Mbabane Swallows;

Raja Casablanca v Fello Star de Labe;

Pedro de Luanda v Ela Nguema;

Curepipe Starlight v La Passe;

Difaa el Jadida v Balantas Mansoa;

ES Setif v Diables Noirs;

Eloi Lupopo v Young Africain;

ASFA-Yennega v Stade Mandji;

Al Ittihad v AS Tempête MOCAF;

 Sunday Fixtures

JSK Kabylie v Armed Forces;

Orlando Pirates v Gaborone United;

Zanaco v Revenue Authority;

Bayelsa United v Tchad;

Ferroviario v AC de Mitsamiouli;

El Merreikh v Saint Georges;

Gunners FC v Mafunzo FC.

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