The African Champions League enters first round next month with sixteen mouthwatering fixtures on the cards.
32 teams will face each other on home and away basis for the 16 slots available at the tournament’s groups’ stage.
The 16 losers will enter into the CAF Confederations Cup playoff round where they will be paired against the competition’s 1st round winners in a battle for places in the groups’ stage.
31 teams qualified for the Champions League 1st round after Tuesday and Wednesday preliminary round return matches.
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A clash between Gambia Armed Forces and Zambia’s Zanaco that was delayed till Saturday will fill the other slot.
First leg matches will take place on 6-7th March with return fixtures on 16-17th March.
Some of the ties to look forward to at the 1st round include a clash between Young Africans of Tanzania and Botswana’s Township Rollers.
Rollers rolled over seasonal campaigners El Marreikh of Sudan – eliminating them 4-2 on aggregate in one of the shock results of the initial round.
The Gaborone based-side thumped Merriekh 3-0 in the first leg and despite losing 2-1 on the road they were home and dry.
As one of the emerging and well organized teams in the Cosafa region, it will be interesting to see how Rollers fair against Yanga, who have occasionally flattered to deceive.
Yanga, who is currently coached by Zambian George “Chicken” Lwandamina edged Seychelles’ Saint Louis 2-1 on aggregate to sail through.
Chicken’s vast experience in the continent will be key for the Dar giants, who have blown hot and cold in the league. He guided Zesco United to the 2016 Champions League semi-final.
In another tie worth the wait, surprise package AS Port Togo of Togo will host Sudan’s Al Hilal in the first leg. The Togolese bundled out Congo giants AC Leopards on penalty and will be seeking to further their luck against the Sudanese.
Hilal recovered from first leg 1-0 scare to beat Liberia’s LISCR FC 3-0 in Omndurman to sail through on 3-1 aggregate.
Kenya’s Gor Mahia, who beat Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea 3-1 on aggregate to qualify, will meet Tunisian giants Esperance du Tunis for a ticket to the money bracket.
The two met in 2015 in the same competition with Esperance winning on humongous 8-2 aggregate.
This tie evokes bitter sweet memories of the 1987 CAF Winners’ Cup finals where Gor edged Esperance on away goal’s rule to bag the trophy then known as Mandela Cup.
Floundering defending champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco will face Williamsville AC of Ivory Coast, while Confederations Cup holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo will lock horns with Mozambique’s UD Songo.
But before then Wydad and Mazembe will clash this Saturday in the CAF Super Cup and Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco.
Full CAF Champions League 1st round fixtures;
1. St.George (Ethiopia) Vs KCCA (Uganda)
*2. Zanaco /Armed Forces (Gambia Vs Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)*
3. Wydad Casablanca (Morrocco) Vs Williamvile AC (Ivory Coast)
4. Aduana Stars (Ghana) Vs ES Satif (Algeria)
5.Al-Ahly (Egypt) vs CF Mounana (Gabon)
6. MFM (Nigeria) Vs MC Alger (Algeria)
7. Horoya (Guinea) Vs Génération Foot (Senegal)
8. Young Africans (Tanzania) Township Rollers(Botswana)
9. Gor Mahia( Kenya) Vs Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia )
10. Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) Vs Plateau United (Nigeria)
11. AS Togo-Port (Togo) Vs Al-Hilal (Sudan )
*12. ZESCO United (Zambia) Vs ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)*
13.TP Mazembe (DRC) vs UD Songo (Mozambique)
14. Difaâ El Jadidi (Morocco) Vs AS Vita Club (DRC)
15.1º de Agosto (Angola) Vs Bidvest Wits (South Africa)
16. Rayon Sports (Rwanda) Vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
