Time to conquer the continent
Sundowns, Pirates and Chiefs will want a fast start to their African adventures
SOUTH AFRICA’S top three sides, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, are left to carry the country’s flag in continental competition after Free State Stars’ exit. The trio are in action this weekend, keen to get first leg results that would render the return matches purely academic. While they are all probably favourites to get the better of their opposition, it won’t be all plain sailing as we look at the opposition’s pedigree.
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
South Africa is represented by Absa Premiership champions Sundowns and runners-up Pirates in the continent’s premier club competition.
Both are previous winners and are eager to add a second star to their jerseys. But they have tricky opposition to overcome as they seek to make their way into the group stages. TOMORROW
Venue: Orlando Stadium; Kick-Off: 6pm; TV: SS4
IN TERMS of continental football pedigree, the Buccaneers are up against a team with none at all.
African Stars are in their debut season in the Champions League, They have, however, previously played in the CAF Confederation Cup (in 2014) as well as in the second tier competition’s predecessor, the CAF Cup, back in 1992. They were knocked out at the first hurdle on both occasions. As Namibian champions this year, Stars went up against Volcan of the Comoros in the preliminary round and prevailed 2-1 on aggregate, the result achieved via a home victory with the away leg ending goalless. Not the kind of results to send Micho Sredojevic and his men shaking in their boots then. After all, the Buccaneers had it fairly easy getting over the initial hurdle – they beat Seychelles’ Light Stars 8-2 on aggregate – and this next one also appears likely to provide no problems for the team looking to go all the way. SUNDAY
Venue: Cairo; Kick-off: 5pm
The Brazilians against Al Ahly in Cairo should send Sundowns fans running scared. But worry not, Masandawana, it is not the continent’s best club your team will be facing on Sunday but rather Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya, who are playing in the Egyptian capital due to the unrest in their country.
As much as this clash is easier than if it were against the Red Devils of Cairo, it nevertheless remains a tricky one. Benghazi are in their sixth appearance of the competition, although it is their first since 2014. They have generally floated between the preliminary and first rounds and had their best showing four years ago when they reached the group stage where they finished stone last. But then again, they had giants Esperance, CS Sfaxien and Entente Setif to contend with. They had, however, eliminated their Egyptian namesakes to reach that phase. Their narrow 3-2 aggregate win over Mauritania’s Nouadhibou in the previous round would suggest they are not that strong now and Sundowns should get the better of them.
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
TOMORROW
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium Kick-off: 8pm
Amakhosi got off to a winning start under new coach Ernst Middendorp on Wednesday and will go into this match with their tails up. They are taking on a Madagascan outfit that finds itself in unfamiliar territory, Elgeco never before having gone past the preliminary stage in three previous attempts. This is the team that SuperSport United beat last year in the preliminary round en route to that great run which saw them reach the final, and Chiefs will probably look at that and hope it is a good omen. That, though, is dependent on the mindset Amakhosi are in, their recent participation in continental competition having often given the impression of a side that would rather not be there.
But their romp in the preliminary suggested they would love to conquer the continent again, having done so way back in 2001 in the self same competition when it was still known as the Cup Winners Cup/ Mandela Cup. Their opponents sneaked into this stage after winning at home but losing away to Deportivo Unidada of Equatorial Guinea. If they play with the energy they did against SuperSport on Wednesday, Chiefs should have no problem rendering this tie a no-contest by the end of tomorrow night’s first leg.