Africa-Press – Kenya. The official draw for the group stages of the Confederation of African Football Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup will be conducted on Friday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The preliminary rounds kicked off on August 16.
Both reigning champions of the two competitions, Al Ahly SC (Caf Champions League) and USM Alger (Caf Confederation Cup) secured their slots in the group stage draws.
There were no Kenyan club representatives in the qualifiers for the group stage draws as Gor Mahia were locked out of the competition by Caf after failing to pay three of the club’s players.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly were the first to secure qualification for the draws after an emphatic victory over Ethiopia’s St. George SA.
This will be the ninth successive group qualification for the team looking to dominate African club football yet again.
Their domestic rivals Pyramids FC also secured qualification rights after beating Rwandan side APR FC Kigali 6-1.
Tanzanian giants Simba SC join Young Africans SC (Yanga) in qualifying for the annual continental assignment.
Last year’s finalists Wydad AC from Morocco will be part of this year’s edition after their 3-0 victory against Guinea’s Haifa.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa progressed after a 6-0 aggregate win over Bumamuru FC from Burundi.
DR Congo’s TP Mazembe marked their return to the group stage after a two-year absence by thrashing Nyasa Big Bullets from Malawi 5-0 on aggregate.
Sudan’s Al Hilal SC qualified with a 2-1 aggregate win over Angola’s Primero Agosto.
Étoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia knocked out Moroccan champions AS FAR 2-1 and will dine with the big boys
Caf Champions League-qualified clubs
Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Al Hilal (Sudan), Asec Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), CR Belouizdad (Algeria), ES Sahel (Tunisia), Esperance (Tunisia), FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania), Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Medeama SC (Ghana), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Pyramids (Egypt), Simba SC (Tanzania), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Wydad AC (Morocco), and Young Africans (Tanzania).
Caf Confederation Cup qualified Clubs
Abo Selim, (Libya), Al Hilal Benghazi (Libya), APC Lobito (Angola), Club Africain (Tunisia), Diables Noirs (Congo), Dreams FC (Ghana), Future FC (Egypt), RS Berkane (Morocco), Sagrada Esperanca (Angola), Sekhukhune United (South Africa), Stade Malien (Mali), SuperSport United (South Africa), SOAR (Guinea), Rivers United (Nigeria) USM Alger (Algeria), and Zamalek (Egypt).
For More News And Analysis About Kenya Follow Africa-Press
