Ahly missing, but CAFCL still promises thrills and spills

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Feb 11, 2022. 13:00

The CAF Champions League will get its group stage for the 2021-22 season underway without title holders Al Ahly, but matchday one still promises thrills and spills across the continent on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 February.

The fixture list is one short of the full eight for a matchday due to Al Ahly’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup. The reigning African champions will have their Group A match against Al Merrikh on Saturday 5 March.

The action opens on Friday evening with Mamelodi Sundowns tackling Al Hilal in a Group A clash. The South African heavyweights have had to move away from their base in Tshwane for this game, as none of their three preferred venues – the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Lucas Moripe Stadium and Tuks Stadium – were given the green light by CAF, but co-coach Rulani Mokwena insists this will not be an issue for them.

“CAF recommended that we can use Royal Bafokeng, which suits us. The quality of the facilities and the pitch suit our requirements because we want to use a field that allows us to be dominant and play the way that we want to,” explained Mokwena.

Friday also features Etoile du Sahel hosting CR Belouizdad in a Group C North African derby, while Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca will look to get off to a fast start in Group D when they host Sagrada Esperanca.

Sagrada’s Angola compatriots and fellow Group D rivals Petro de Luanda will be away to Zamalek on Saturday evening, while an earlier kick-off sees Botswana upstarts Jwaneng Galaxy hoping to get the better of Esperance de Tunis in a Group C clash.

“It is a great achievement for the club, the technical team, management, players and everybody who has been involved in this project,” said Galaxy coach Morena Ramoreboli of reaching the group stage for the first time.

“There is so much that players in Botswana can achieve only if they believe in themselves. There is so much potential in this team and the fortunate part is that 80 percent of these boys are very young. We still believe that there is so much to be achieved and gained from the sacrifice by these boys.”

The action wraps up with the late kick-off on Saturday as another team marks their debut at this stage of the competition, with AmaZulu heading to Morocco to face Raja Casablanca.

CAF Champions League weekend fixtures

Times CAT

Friday 11 February

18:00: Mamelodi Sundowns v Al Hilal

18:00: Etoile du Sahel v CR Belouizdad

21:00: Wydad Casablanca v Sagrada Esperanca

Saturday 12 February

15:00: Esperance de Tunis v Jwaneng Galaxy

18:00: AS Horoya v ES Setif

18:00: Zamalek v Petro de Luanda

21:00: Raja Casablanca v AmaZulu