Orlando Pirates handed Djabal clash as TotalEnergies CAF Champions League draw unveiled
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Two-time African champions Enyimba of Nigeria will face Libya's Ahli Benghazi in a tricky West-North affair in the opening round of the 2023/24 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
This comes after Tuesday's draw for the competition was held at the CAF headquarters in Cairo with the Aba-based side travelling away in the first leg on 18-20 August.
Enyimba will host the return fixture a week later as the winner of the tie will play Cameroon's Coton Sport or Ivory Coast's ASEC Mimosa in the second round.
Compatriots Remo Stars are also in Champions League qualifying for the first time, pitted against Ghanaian club Medeama.
Remo will aim to overcome the Ghanaians for a shot at Guinea's Horoya for a coveted group stage place in their maiden appearance.
Another former champions Orlando Pirates of South Africa will renew acquaintances with Comoros minnows Djabal in the opening round.
Pirates met the same opponents a decade ago, romping to a 9-0 aggregate victory in 2013 en route to the final where they narrowly lost to Egyptian titans Al Ahly.
The Buccaneers will be seeking another emphatic result against the Indian Ocean islanders to book a second round clash with either Botswana's Jwaneng Galaxy or Uganda's Vipers.
Fellow South African hopefuls Mamelodi Sundowns received a bye into the second round where they will host either Gabon's CSB or Burundi's Bumauru, both Champions League debutants.
The draw sets up plenty of intriguing West-North battles, with current Champions League holders Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca among ten clubs seeded straight through to the second round.
