Pots fate ahead of CAF draw

Defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Tunisia’s Esperance, TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Wydad Casablanca from Morocco will be the top seeds for today’s Africa Champions League draw.

The 16 teams who have qualified for the group phase will be divided into four groups of four with one drawn from each of the four different pots when the draw is conducted at the Confederation of African Football’s headquarters in Cairo.

Last season’s runners-up Zamalek and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns will be among the second seeds and it presents the mouth-watering prospect that Al Ahly could be pitted in the same group as Sundowns, putting the defending champion’s coach Pitso Mosimane up against his former cub

hampions League newcomers Kaizer Chiefs,C who won away in Angola on Tuesday to secure their place, are among the bottom seeds. Chiefs are one of two rookies in the league phase - the other is Teungueth from Senegal, who pulled off an upset win over Raja Casablanca in the second round. There are eight former winners in the field for this. season’s Champions League, which will be played over six rounds from February through to April.

Draw seedings:

POT 1: Al Ahly (Egypt), Espérance (Tunisia), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)

POT 2: Horoya (Guinea), Mamelodi Sundowns, AS Vita Club (DR Congo), Zamalek (Egypt)

POT 3: Mouloudia Alger (Algeria), Al Hilal (Sudan), Petro Atletico (Angola), Simba (Tanzania)

POT 4: Al Merreikh (Sudan), Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), Kaizer Chiefs, Teungueth (Senegal)