Historic day for SA football

IT will be the first time that three South African clubs go into the draw for the group phase of an African club competition at the same time when Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Platinum Stars and SuperSport United wait to hear their fate in Cairo this afternoon.

With the expansion of the group phase in both the African Champions League and African Confederations Cup from eight to 16 teams‚ the draw at the Confederation of African Football’s headquarters takes on a much busier air.

Sundowns are seeking to defend their Champions League title, while Stars and SuperSport participate in the Confederations Cup’ group phase for the first time.

Tunisia is the only country with a full house of two representatives in each competition while South Africa‚ Egypt and Sudan remain with three clubs.

Bidvest Wits went out in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup to Egyptian opposition and will have to try again next year.

Seedings for the draw‚ which takes place at 2pm South African time‚ will be determined at a meeting of Caf’s club competitions committee but Sundowns are expected to head up one of the groups.

Progress in the continental club competition is something of a poisoned chalice for the South African trio, whose season will continue long after the rest of the Premier Soccer League clubs go off on holiday at the end of next month.

The group matches in both competitions start next month and are to be concluded in the second weekend in July‚ leaving the clubs little chance to rest their players and have proper pre-season preparations ahead of the start of the new South African season in August.

The top two finishers in each of the four groups in both competitions will advance to the quarterfinals‚ which will only be played in September.