The 2018 CAF Champions League group stage matches kick-off across Africa Friday with three a must watch fixtures lined-up on the first day.
Five other tantalizing match-ups complete the round Saturday to give way for more continental football in the Confederation Cup Sunday.
Group A: Al Ahly vs Esperance de Tunis
Record eight times champions Al Ahly of Egypt hosts two times champions Esperance de Tunis of Tunisia at Borg el Arab Stadium, Alexandria Friday in one of the most anticipated clashes of the day.
The meet will be the 17th for the two heavyweights of African interclub football.
In the past 16 encounters, Ahly boast six wins, three for Esperance with seven ties ending in draws.
Both teams have thus far secured domestic league titles with matches to spare and have secured slots in the premium Africa’s interclub tournament next season.
Coincidentally the two were also eliminated from their country’s respective domestic cups; the Red Devils exited at the quarterfinals stage while Esperance retired in the second round.
Ahly are winless in their last two matches including a painful loss in the Cairo Derby before Al Assiouty bundled them out of the Egypt Cup Monday.
The Blood and Gold are no different as they have drawn and lost their recent two fixtures.
Ahly’s gaffer Hossam El Badry is fancying a win for a perfect group start but offers that at this point it is totally a different game.
“This is a completely different game now. The group stage matches are totally different from the knockout ones but it’s always good to start with a victory and that’s what we will be playing for,” Hossam told Cafonline.com.
Group A: Township Rollers vs KCCA
In another sumptuous group “A” battle, debutants Township Rollers of Botswana and Uganda’s KCCA will face off at National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana also Friday.
The two have been labeled the group’s underdogs and will be out to swing surprises as they learn the ropes.
KCCA made the group stage of the 2017 Confederation Cup but did not go past the stage. However, they are expected to build on the experience to survive in Gaborone against Rollers, who are totally new to top level African football.
Back at home KCCA are embroiled in ding dong fight for the domestic honors and are starring at a serious possibility of missing Champions League football next season.
With just four matches left, the Mayors boys are four points behind the Ugandan Premier League leaders Vipers SC, who are proving their title credentials each passing game.
Rollers on the other hand are cruising at the top of the Botswana Premier League – two points ahead of second placed Galaxy with two matches to the close of the season.
Both KCCA and Rollers won their last league outings against relegation candidates Express FC and UF Santos respectively and are heading into the Friday clash on a winning note.
In the only group “B” tie Friday, Mouloudia Club D’Alger of Algeria hosts Difaa Hassani El Jadidi in an all North African encounter at Stade 5 Julliet 1962, Algeria.
Group B: TP Mazembe vs ES Satif
DR Congo’s TP Mazembe take on visiting ES Satif of Algeria at TP Mazembe Stadium, Lubumbashi, DR Congo Saturday.
Five times African champions Mazembe are returning to the group stage of the tournament after missing the last two editions.
During the period in the cold, the Ravens managed to bag two Confederation Cup titles back to back and are the defending champions of the secondary interclub championships.
Mazembe are chasing their sixth African crown since the last one in 2015, while Setif are angling for a third crown since 2014.
Satif are winless in the last two domestic outings and are sixth in the table standings eleven points off leaders CS Constantine.
Mazembe on the other hand are top of the Linafoot playoffs log standings four points clear of Sanga Balende, who have played two matches less.
The coach Pamphile Mihayo’s side head into the encounter on the backdrop of an emphatic 3-0 win over Rangers Tuesday.
Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Wydad Casablanca
South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns will kick-start their group campaign at home against defending champions Wydad Casablanca at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium, Pretoria Saturday.
The Brazilians as Downs are famously known recently bagged their eight South Africa’s Premier Soccer League title and are now fully focused on winning their second Champions League title.
Against all expectations, the Masandawana went all the way to win the 2016 final but were knocked out at the quarters level by Wydad in the 2017 edition which the North Africans won against Al Ahly.
The clash will thus be a perfect opportunity for a sweet revenge for the Downs, who are currently enjoying a superb domestic form.
After winning the 2017 crown, Wydad struggled with poor domestic form and had to change coaches but have since stabilized and are now a point behind Hassania Agadir in the Morocco’s topflight title chase.
In another group C battle of the day debutants AS Togo Port will host seasoned Horoya in Lome.
Group D: Zesco United vs Mbabane Swallows
Zesco United will be home against fellow Southern African side Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia.
Zesco are becoming a familiar name in Africa having made the semis of the 2016 edition – losing to eventual winners Mamelodi Sundowns.
But the 2017 campaign was less convincing as they failed to go past the quarterfinals after they changed coaches.
Coach George “Chicken” Lwandamina, who took Zesco to the semis, has since returned after a stint in Tanzania with Yanga SC and is rearing to write more history with Team Yaziko.
Swallows are making a grand entry to the table of men after reaching the group stage of the Confederation Cup last year.
Hundreds of their excited fans started the journey of about 2000 kilometers to Ndola Wednesday to cheer their team.
Fixtures
Group A
04.5.2018 19H00 Alexandria Ahly (Egypt) vs Esperance (Tunisia)
04.5.2018 16H00 Gaborone Township Rollers (Botswana) vs KCCA (Uganda)
Group B
04.5.2018 19H00 Algiers MC Alger (Algeria) vs Difaa El Jadidi (Morocco)
05.5.2018 13H00 Lubumbashi TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs ES Setif (Algeria)
Group C
05.5.2018 16H00 Lome AS Port (Togo) vs Horoya (Guinea)
05.5.2018 19H00 Pretoria Sundowns (South Africa) vs Wydad (Morocco)
Group D
05.5.2018 13H00 Ndola Zesco (Zambia) vs Swallows (Swaziland)
05.5.2018 16H00 Luanda Primeiro Agosto (Angola) vs Etoile (Tunisia)
