The draw for the preliminary rounds of the African Champions League, which took place today, Tuesday, at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football in Cairo, resulted in a standoff within reach of Zamalek and a possible clash between the Arabs and Al Ahly.
The African Football Confederation has exempted 6 clubs from participating in the matches of the first preliminary round (round 64), which begins on September 9 next year, namely: Al-Ahly from Egypt, Vidad from Morocco, Raja from Morocco, Esperance from Tunisia, Sundowns of South Africa and TP Mazembe Congo.
Zamalek will face the Chosen One from Chad in the first preliminary round (1/8 finals) to face the winner of the Libyan Al-Ittihad and Flambeau, Burundian champions in the 1/8 finals.
Al-Ahli of Egypt, who finished second in the last draw, starts his career in the 1/8 finals, facing the winner from the Rwandan army and the Tunisian Monastir union.
As for the defending champions Wydad from Morocco, they will play in the round of 16 against the winner of the match Rivers United from Nigeria or Watanga from Liberia.
The Sierra Leone Rangers will play Algerian Chabab Belouizdad, while the Senegalese Casa Club will face Algerian J.S. Kabili.
As for the Tunisian Esperanza, in the second preliminary round they will play with the winner of the Gabonese Manji Stadium and the Nigerian Plateau United, while the Moroccan team Raja played a draw with the winner of the match A.C.N. Nelik from Niger against Super Guinea.
The first leg of the preliminary round (Round 64) will take place from September 9 to 11, and the second leg from September 16 to 18 of the same month, while Kef has specified the period from October 7 to 9 as the date of the first leg of the 1/8 finals with second legs between 14th and 16th of the same month.
Source: agencies