Sundowns, Ahly to renew CAF Champions League rivalry

 

South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns will face Egyptian giants Al Ahly for the fourth time in five seasons after the CAF Champions League groups draw was made in Cairo on Monday.

Former winners Sundowns stunned 10-time African champions Ahly in the 2019 quarter-finals, but Ahly turned the tables by winning at the same stage in the following two editions.

The clubs were placed in Group B with Al Hilal of Sudan and Coton Sport of Cameroon, and the teams based in Pretoria and Cairo look likely to qualify for the knockout phase.

Ahly had dreams of an unprecedented third consecutive title dashed this year by Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, who won a single-match final 2-0 at their ground.

Wydad beat Petro Luanda of Angola in the last semi-finals and the rivalry will be renewed in Group A, which includes JS Kabylie of Algeria and V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Of the four clubs in this section, only Petro have not lifted a trophy that symbolises African club supremacy.

Egyptian outfit Zamalek, who have won the competition five times but not since 2002, are in a tough Group D with Esperance of Tunisia, Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria and Al Merrikh of Sudan.

Esperance have been African champions four times, Belouizdad reached the quarter-finals of the last two editions and Merrikh are experienced international campaigners.

After finishing runners-up to fierce rivals Ahly in 2020, Zamalek made humiliating group stage exits in the following two seasons.

The second Moroccan challengers, Raja Casablanca, are another club longing to win the competition again as the three-time champions last lifted the trophy in 1999.

Raja are in Group C — arguably the weakest section with twice quarter-finalists Horoya of Guinea, improving Simba of Tanzania and group debutants Vipers of Uganda.

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The six-matchday schedule begins on 10 February and continues until 1 April with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

CAF Champions League draw

Group A

Wydad Casablanca (MAR, holders), Petro Luanda (ANG), JS Kabylie (ALG), V Club (COD)

Group B

Al Ahly (EGY), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Al Hilal (SUD), Coton Sport (CMR)

Group C

Raja Casablanca (MAR), Horoya (GUI), Simba (TAN), Vipers (UGA)

Group D

Esperance (TUN), Zamalek (EGY), Chabab Belouizdad (ALG), Al Merrikh (SUD)

Matchdays: February 10-11, February 17-18, February 24-25, March 7, March 17-18, March 31-Apr 1