CAF Champions League: in the quarters, Mazembe, Asec, and Malmelodi will have Al Ahly in their sights
The quarter-final first leg of the African Champions League will be played this Friday March 29 and Saturday March 30. The Tanzanian little thumb, Simba SC, challenges the Egyptian giant Al Ahly. At the same time, Mazembe, Asec, and Malmelodi will have to hold their position before dreaming of succession to Al Ahly.
Players from the South African club Mamelodi Sundowns. (Illustration.) © Courtesy of CAF
By: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
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Quarter-finals with a unique draw! For once, it is neither Egypt nor Tunisia, let alone Morocco or South Africa, which has the most representatives in the African great eight. It was the surprising Tanzania which achieved the feat of placing two of its clubs, Simba and Young Africans, among the eight teams in the quarterfinals. A sign, once again, of the progress of Tanzanian clubs in Africa, already materialized last season by the quarter-final of Simba in the Champions League and the final of Youngs Africans in the Confederation Cup.
Read alsoCAF Champions League: the calendar and results of the 2023-2024 edition
However, both clubs will have to go through the feat to hope to continue the adventure. Simba is thus tackling a mountain: the Egyptian club Al Ahly, title holder, record holder for C1 victories in Africa, and six times finalist in the last seven editions. Undefeated since the start of the competition, Al Ahly logically remains favorite ahead of the Dar es Salam club which had achieved the feat of beating Wydad Casablanca (2-0) in the group stage.
Mamelodi, the “real” favorite?
For Young Africans, the task also looks complicated against Mamelodi Sundowns. Yanga, who finished behind Al Ahly in the group stage, are perhaps attacking the real favorites of the competition. Even if it lost a group match against TP Mazembe (0-1), the club of CAF president Patrice Motsepe arrives in the quarterfinals, escorted by its title of champion of the first
African League
and above all carried by pillars who constitute the backbone
of the South African national team
today .
The shock of these quarter-finals will be the Espérance Tunis-Asec Mimosas poster. The Tunisians, winners of the trophy in 2018 and 2019, have reached the top of the Champions League more in recent years. But Asec Abidjan seems to have found a great generation capable of going to the end like that of 1998, winner of the Champions League. The young people from Mimosas finished first in a group where Wydad Casablanca was located, and there is no doubt that the victory of the Ivory Coast during the last CAN will be likely to give them ideas for the future.
Finally, TP Mazembe, which finds the elite of African clubs, can also cherish the dream of succeeding Al Ahly. The Congolese found their emblematic coach, Lamine Ndiaye who led them to the final of the Club World Cup (2010). The return of the Ravens to the quarter-finals of the Champions League bears the seal of the Senegalese technician who will have to overcome the obstacle of Petro Atletico de Luanda which counts on its five elements who took part in the last CAN with the Angolan selection.
The return matches will take place on April 5 and 6.
The quarter-final schedule (UT time)
Friday March 29
6 p.m.: Simba SC (Tanzania) – Al Ahly (Egypt)
Saturday March 30
1 p.m.: TP Mazembe (DR Congo) - Atletico Petroleos (Angola)
6 p.m.: Young Africans (Tanzania) - Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
9 p.m.: Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) - ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
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