- Simba and Vipers have been drawn in Group C
- Vipers are playing in the Champions League for the first time
- The group stage matches will kick off in February next year
East Africa’s representatives, Tanzania’s Simba SC and Ugandan debutants Vipers SC have been pooled in the same group of the CAF Champions League after the draw was conducted in Cairo on Monday evening.
The two East African side will play it out in Group C. They are joined in the group by Morocco’s Raja Club Athletic and Guinea’s Horoya in what promises to be a hotly contested group.
Simba are making a return to the Champions League after missing out last season, where they played in the CAF Confederation Cup and reached the quarter finals. They made no mistakes this year round, and are looking to make it into the last eight in the least.
Vipers meanwhile have qualified for the group stages for the first time ever. They earned their right into the best 16 round after edging out five-time African champions TP Mazembe on penalties.
Vipers’ Brazilian head coach Roberto Oliveira has admitted they are in a tough group, but maintains optimism that they have what it takes to make the last eight.
Vipers a big club too
Vipers players celebrate their victory in Lubumbashi. PHOTO/Vipers SC
“We have seen our opponents. It is a good draw with big teams but Vipers, too, is a big club. I will speak to my group and ask of them to respect the opponents but our rivals have to respect us, too. I have a strong unwavering belief in the quality of my players,” the tactician stated.
He added; “I’ll prepare my team thoroughly well for the Champions League when the time is right. Right now we’re competing for honours in the Uganda Premier League and we have to take it one step at a time. Our objective is one and it is clear. We have to qualify (to the knockout stages), I love the big matches.”
Meanwhile, Group B of the draw will see an almost familiar line up to last season with record champions Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns and Sudan’s Al Hilal drawn together once again. They will be joined in the group by Cameroon’s Cotonsport.
During the competition last term, they were drawn in Group A where Sundowns finished the group unbeaten, hitting Ahly home and away.
Masandawana are looking to repeat the feat and head coach Rhulani Mokwena says the primary target is to make it out of the group and into the quarter final.
“There’s a lot of familiarity from last season but either way, any team you get now in the Champions League will be a difficult team. Our number one challenge is to get out of the group stages and into the quarter finals and we are looking forward to that,” the tactician said.
Holders Wydad lead Group A
Wydad celebrate with the Champions League trophy
At the same time, defending champions Wydad Athletic Club have been drawn in Group A and are also re-uniting with a side they face in the group stages last year, Petro de Luanda. They lost to the Angolan giants in Luanda, but had revenge with a massive 5-1 victory in the corresponding tie in Casablanca.
They are continuing in their title defense with a new coach, as the man who led them to the title last season, Walid Regragui, moved to the national team and has sailed Morocco to the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
They will be joined in the group by Congolese side AS Vita Club and Algeria’s JS Kabylie, both of who are returning to the group phase after a long spell out.
Group D will meanwhile play host to some tantalizing North African derbies, with Tunisia’s Esperance, Egypt’s Zamalek and Algeria’s CR Belouizdad all drawn together. Joining them in the group is Sudan’s El Merrikh.
The group phase will kick off in February, just after the conclusion of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria in January.
Full Group Stage Draw
Group A:
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco), Petro de Luanda (Angola), JS Kabylie (Algeria), AS Vita Club (DR Congo)
Group B:
Al Ahly (Egypt), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) Al Hilal (Sudan) Coton Sport (Cameroon)
Group C:
Raja Club Athletic (Morocco), Horoya AC (Guinea) Simba SC (Tanzania) Vipers SC (Uganda)
Group D:
Esperance (Tunisia) Zamalek (Egypt), CR Belouizdad (Algeria) Al Merrikh (Sudan)
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