Succession Of TP Mazembe Opens - Orange CAF Champions League 2010

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Succession Of TP Mazembe Opens

02-09-2010

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52 teams will this weekend engage in the battle to succeed TP Mazembe, champion of the last edition of the Orange Champions League. Six other teams, Al Ahly (Egypt), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), Heartland FC (Nigeria), El Hilal (Sudan), Dynamos (Zimbabwe) and the defending champion, Mazembe, will only enter the competition at the sixteenth final.

Which team will emerge champion of this long annual marathon? One of the old names or an outsider as last year witnessed a big outsider. More and more, the contenders are separated by their financial resources. In recent years, many clubs came forcefully to the fore thanks to new financing, which is often lacking, and which are equally capable of attracting money from sponsors. The consequences are most often immediate; these clubs recruit foreign players either from their immediate neighbours or very far from their area. And this year we will probably discover new ambitious teams.

Several matches seem to be detached from the preliminary round like the encounter between the Rwandan side, APR FC and Recreativo of Libolo of Angola, which is among highly rated clubs, determined to make a name on the continental scene. We are also waiting with particular interest the match between Djoliba of Bamako, which dreams of emulating the example of Stade Malien, winner of the last Orange Confederation Cup, and the Libyan side, Al Ahly Benghazi that hopes to cross a stage for their club. The Senegalese people will support Linguere of Saint Louis to the end, since the team is the flag bearer of a football which is in full renovation. The team will have a difficult task to meet Ashanti Kotoko, which is in search of reawakening following several fruitless seasons. The Algerian team, Entente of Setif will enter the tournament when it clashes against the Red Devils of Congo, while Sofakapa FC of Kenya, for their first participation in a pan-African competition will have to get rid of Ismaily of Egypt.

Besides TP Mazembe, many former champions ; Al Ahly, ASEC Mimosas, Ashanti Kotoko, Ismaïly, Union of Douala, JS Kabylie, Raja of Casablanca and Espérance of Tunis will be seeking a new crown. But, this year again, many think that after a year’s pause, Al Ahly is capable of doing all to reclaim its sceptre. In mid tournament, the Egyptian club presented a positive balance sheet with 15 consecutive matches played without defeat, thanks largely to an iron-like defense. In 2010, it will again be a team to reckon with.

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