Life after Khama: Sundowns still in African club competitions quarterfinals this weekend

WINDHOEK, APRIL 4 – Africa’s club competitions, the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, will get their quarterfinal rounds underway this coming weekend with eight first-leg matches across the continent. DStv and GOtv will be your home for the premier club football on the African continent.

The Champions League takes centre stage on Saturday, starting in Dar Es Salaam where Tanzania’s Simba will welcome DR Congo giants TP Mazembe. ‘Wekundu wa Msimbazi’ were one of the surprise packages in the group stage, coming through a tough pool which included Al Ahly, AS Vita and JS Saoura, and they will need to once again rely on their home form against a ‘Ravens’ team looking to return to the pinnacle of the African game.

In Tshwane, South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns will look to finally get the better of Al Ahly. The teams met in the 2001 final as well as in the preliminary rounds of the 2007 edition, and the Egyptian heavyweights emerged victorious in both ties. The ‘Brazilians’ will fancy their chances of an upset, but the motivation to reach the final for a third successive time and claim a record-extending ninth African title will be strong for the ‘Red Devils’.

Themba Zwane (18) celebrates goal with teammate Lebohang Maboe of Mamelodi Sundowns during the 2019 TOTAL CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Lobi Stars at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville on the 09 March 2019 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

In Guinea, dark horses Horoya AC will look to punch above their weight when Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca head to Conakry, while title holders Esperance de Tunis – who were beaten by Raja Casablanca in the CAF Cup Super Cup last Friday evening – face another North African derby as they head to Algeria to face CS Constantine.

Sunday sees the Confederation Cup hold its first-leg, quarterfinal clashes. Kenya’s Gor Mahia will look to continue their impressive run when they welcome Morocco’s RS Berkane to Nairobi, while Zambian side Nkana face a similarly tough challenge for the visit to Kitwe of three-time Confed champions CS Sfaxien.

Chamseddine Dhaouadi of Esperance during the CAF Champions League match between Orlando Pirates and Esperance 02 February 2019 at Orlando Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Perhaps the pick of the matches comes from the Olympic Stadium in Sousse, where four-time champions Etoile du Sahel welcome Sudanese giants Al Hilal, while the night game is a mouth-watering North African derby between Moroccan upstarts Hassania Agadir and Egypt’s Zamalek.

CAF Champions League fixtures, 5-6 April
All times CAT

Saturday 6 April
15:00: Simba SC v TP Mazembe ¬– LIVE on SS9 & SelGo1
15:00: Mamelodi Sundowns v Al Ahly
18:00: Horoya v Wydad Casablanca
21:00: CS Constantine v Esperance de Tunis

CAF Confederation Cup fixtures, 7 April
All times CAT

Sunday 7 April
15:00: Gor Mahia v RS Berkane – LIVE on SS9 & SelGo2
15:00: Nkana v CS Sfaxien – LIVE on SS9 & SelGo1
18:00: Etoile du Sahel v Al Hilal
21:00: Hassania Agadir v Zamalek