October, 21 2023.
Wydad Casablanca Takes On Enyimba on Sunday
The first ever edition African Football League, got underway on Saturday, with the curtain raiser, between Egyptian giants, Al Ahly SC of Cairo and Simba SC of Tanzania, produced no winner, as the opener ended in a 2-2 draw.
However, it is worthy of noye that the CAF Champions League holders, Al Ahly SC were the side to force the draw at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday evening.
The visitors took the lead a minute into first half added time, through Reda Slim, while Kibu Denis drew Simba SC level in 53rd minutes. Sadio Kanouté then put them 2-1 up 5 minutes later before Mahmoud Kahraba pulled Al Ahly level 3 minutes, after the hour mark; to ensure the Egyptians took the respectable score line into the reverse fixture.
What?
The return leg, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 24 at the Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, with the aggregate winners, progressing to the semi-finals of Africa’s newest club competition.
Meanwhile, Hostilities continue on Saturday, with Petro de Luanda hosting Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the first of two-legged quarter-final fixture at Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola.
The South Africans will be gunning for a favourable result ahead of Tuesday’s reverse game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria to enable them to progress to the semifinals.
Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba Int'l FC of Aba will begin their campaign at home on Sunday against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
The first leg, quarter-final tie, will hold at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Enyimba Head Coach, Finidi George and his men, will surely need to work their socks off to secure a win against Wydad, arguably one of the best elite sides on the continent, at present.
Victory of any colour or margin will boost the morale of the Aba People's Elephant for Wednesday’s potentially arduous second leg at Stade Mohamed V Casablanca, in Morocco.
This is the first edition of Africa’s newest club football tournament, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) with support of Gianni Infantino, President of football's world governing body (FIFA).
The tournament, featuring eight teams from eight member associations, and it will run from October 20 through November 11, 2023.
This season is meant to be a precursor tournament to the full-fledged version, which will start in the 2024–25 season after being delayed a year.
The competition, initially announced in 2022 as the Africa Super League, was to involve 24 teams divided into three geographical regions and have a promotion-relegation system.
It was however delayed from August to October 2023, renamed the African Football League, and revised into an eight-team knockout format for its inaugural season; www.ckdmedia.ng reports.