Africa-Press – South-Africa. Mamelodi Sundowns’ quest for a second CAF Champions League title will take them to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Mauritania in this season’s group stage.
The Brazilians will face a familiar foe in TP Mazembe, the team that sharpened them in 2015 right before they went and conquered the continent in 2016.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) picked stalwarts of these two teams – Hlompho Kekana of Sundowns and Rainford Kalaba of Mazembe – to conduct the draw. The pair’s hands then set-up an intriguing affair between these giants of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The club’s two owners, Patrice Motsepe and Moise Katumbi, made most of their wealth in mining and are also good friends. But there is nothing friendly when these two teams meet, with both sides unstoppable at home.
Egypt’s moneybags, Pyramids FC, and FC Nouadhibou complete Group A. Pyramids’ squad includes South African forward Fagrie Lakay. Group D will also see two South Africans come up against each other, Percy Tau of Al-Ahly and Mahlatse Makudubela of Young Africans.
SuperSport United, however, are the South Africans who will have it tougher in Africa’s two main inter-club competitions. Kekana flashed a bright smile when he pulled out Algerian giants USM Alger to complete Group A of the CAF Confederation Cup. USM Alger completed a group that included Kekana’s former team, SuperSport – making it a tough challenge for Matsatsantsa a Pitori.
SuperSport will travel three times to north Africa to compete in the tournament they almost won in 2017 – going down to TP Mazembe in the final. Kalaba, who was part of that Mazembe side, pulled out SuperSport’s name, along with Al Hilal of Libya and Future FC of Egypt.
Group A has all the makings of the group death due to the heated rivalry between Egypt and Algeria. SuperSport are a tough and organised side, led by Gavin Hunt who led Kaizer Chiefs to the semifinal of the 2020-2021 Champions League before he was unceremoniously fired by the club. Libyan sides are always a tough nut to crack.
The other South African side in the group stage of the Confederation Cup, Sekhukhune United, will face the 2019 winners – Stade Malien of Mali and Diables Noir of Congo. RS Berkane of Morocco, who defeated Orlando Pirates in the final of this tournament last year, complete a group that will test Sekhukhune who are making their debut in this stage of the competition.
The group stage of these two competitions will be played from the last weekend of November and conclude in March next year.
CAF Champions League draw
Group A: Mamelodi Sundowns, Pyramids FC (Egypt), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Group B: Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Simba (Tanzania), Asec Mimosa (Ivory Coast, Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
Group C: Esperance (Tunisia), Petro de Luanda Angola), Al Hilal (Sudan), Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
Group D: Al-Ahly (Egypt), CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Young Africans (Tanzania), Medeama (Ghana)
CAF Confederation Cup draw
Group A: USM Alger (Algeria), Future FC (Egypt), SuperSport United, Al Hilal (Libya)
Group B: Zamalek (Egypt), Sagrada Esperança (Angola), SOAR (Guinea), Abu Salim (Libya)
Group C: Rivers United (Nigeria), Club Africain (Tunisia), Dreams FC (Ghana), APC Lobito (Angola)
Group D: RS Berkane (Morocco), Diables Noir (Congo), Stade Malien (Mali), Sekhukhune United
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
