Home sides look to reverse upsets in TotalEnergies CAF Champions League return fixtures
After a highly entertaining opening round of the CAF Champions League 1st Preliminary Round, clubs are preparing for yet another action-packed weekend of African club football.
The opening round saw some interesting results and upsets this past weekend, setting up another round of ties that fans of the African game can look forward to.
After holding on to a narrow 1-0 victory in Ghana, Medeama SC travel to Nigeria with a slim advantage ahead of their return leg with Remo Stars at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
In Zambia, Power Dynamos host Namibia’s African Stars after a 2-1 first leg loss in Soweto.
Dynamos will not only be looking at getting a result at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, but also aiming at getting a confidence boosting win ahead of their start to the Zambian Premier League next week.
A match to certainly look forward to this weekend is without a doubt Al Ahli Benghazi’s trip to Aba in Nigeria where they will face Enyimba.
The two sides produced one of the most electrifying high-scoring fixtures last weekend that concluded in a 4-3 victory for the Libyan’s who will have their work cut out in Aba.
Moving over to Cote d’Ivoire, TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 hosting venue, Yamoussoukro Stadium plays host to Asec Mimosas against Coton Sport of Benin.
The two sides played out to a goalless draw in the first leg, paving the way for another tightly contested match where both sides will be going all out for the result.
In the northern parts of the continent, Tunisian giants, Etoile du Sahel travel to the Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium in Constantine, Algeria with a 2-0 cushion to face CS Constantine.
While the Tunisians carry somewhat of a comfortable lead, the hosts will be buoyed by the highly vocal fans of Constantine who are known to create an intimidating atmosphere in their full voice.
A similar uphill task awaits Uganda’s Vipers SC, who will be aiming at reversing a 2-0 loss suffered at the hands of Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy last weekend.
Fortunately for The Venoms, they will be at their St Mary’s Stadium home base in Kampala which should give them a slight advantage.
Further down the continent, former champions (1995) Orlando Pirates welcomes Comoros’ Djabal FC with a slender 1-0 advantage following a successful trip to the Islanders last weekend.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Fixtures | 24 – 27 August:
Thursday, 24 August 2023
Gaadiidka vs APR FC
Friday, 25 August
Bumamuru vs CS de Bendje
Al Merrikh SC vs AS Otoho
Orlando Pirates vs Djabal FC
Saturday, 26 August
Power Dynamos vs African Stars
Green Mamba vs UD do Songo
Etoile du Sahel vs SC Constantine
AS Far vs ASKO De Kara
Young Africans vs ASAS Djibouti
Vipers SC vs Jwaneng Galaxy FC
Sunday, 27 August
Generation Foot vs Haifa FC
LISCR FC vs Bo Rangers FC
Remo Stars FC vs Medeama SC
Saint George SC vs KMKM SC
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets vs Dragon FC
Enyimba vs Al Ahli Benghazi
Asec Mimosas vs Coton Sport Benin
Coton Sport FC de Garoua vs AS Real De Bamako
Al Ahli Tripoli vs FC Nouadhibou
AS Vita Club vs CD Primeiro de Agosto