Category: Football Africa

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Strong starts for Al Hilal and Mangasport in the CAF Champions League

Sudanese team Al Hilal Omdurman and Gabon’s Mangasport both won strongly in the First Preliminary Round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026/27 on Saturday. Other matches are still closely contested as the second legs approach next weekend.

Al Hilal won 2-0 against Burundi’s Aigle Noir, giving them confidence for the return match at home. Gabon’s Mangasport won 3-1 against Namibia’s African Stars, which provides them a good advantage for the next leg.

Club Africain from Tunisia will carry a narrow 1-0 lead to Mali for their match against Djoliba. CFFA from Madagascar also heads to Lesotho with a 2-0 advantage after defeating Lijabatho. South Sudan’s El Merriekh Bentiu won 1-0 against Somalia’s Heegan in another home match.

Senegal’s Teungueth secured a key 1-0 away win against FC Canchungo of Guinea-Bissau, placing them in a good position for the return leg at home.

Vipers and FC Nouadhibou in Uganda finished their match in a 1-1 draw, meaning they have everything to play for in the next meeting in Mauritania. Côte d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro also drew 1-1 with Nigerian Rivers United, giving Rivers the home advantage in the second leg.

Sudan’s Al Merreikh won 1-0 against Zambia’s Power Dynamos but needs to perform better in the away leg. Gaborone United drew 1-1 with Tanzanian team Young Africans, leaving the tie open for the next match in Dar es Salaam.

Two matches ended without goals: Chad’s Aiglons against Ethiopia’s Sidaama Buna, and Sierra Leone’s Star Sport Academy versus Medina United from The Gambia. These draws keep the contests wide open.

The return legs for the First Preliminary Round will happen from September 11-13. The winners will move on to the Second Preliminary Round as teams vie for spots in the group stage.

Friday’s results

  • Al-Swehly (Libya) 1-0 KVZ (Zanzibar)
  • AS Port (Djibouti) 1-2 Zamalek (Egypt)
  • JS Saoura (Algeria) 1-0 Horoya (Guinea)
  •  

Saturday’s results

  • Aigle Noir (Burundi) 0-2 Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)
  • El Merriekh Bentiu (South Sudan) 1-0 Heegan (Somalia)
  • CFFA (Madagascar) 2-0 Lijabatho (Lesotho)
  • Aiglons (Chad) 0-0 Sidaama Buna (Ethiopia)
  • Mangasport (Gabon) 3-1 African Stars (Namibia)
  • FC Canchungo (Guinea-Bissau) 0-1 Teungueth (Senegal)
  • Vipers (Uganda) 1-1 FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
  • FC San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire) 1-1 Rivers United (Nigeria)
  • Star Sport Academy (Sierra Leone) 0-0 Medina United (The Gambia)
  • Al Merreikh (Sudan) 1-0 Power Dynamos (Zambia)
  • Gaborone United (Botswana) 1-1 Young Africans (Tanzania)
  • Club Africain (Tunisia) 1-0 Djoliba (Mali)
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

ES Zarzis make a strong CAF Confederation start with a win over Diambars

ES Zarzis made a strong return to continental competition after 20 years. They came back from behind to beat Senegal’s Diambars 3-1 in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round on Friday. This was their first appearance in the competition since 2006.

Diambars surprised the home team by scoring first in the 13th minute. However, Zarzis equalised just before halftime, with Khalil Al-Qassab scoring in the 35th minute.

Al-Qassab then scored again 11 minutes into the second half, giving Zarzis the lead. Samba added a third goal in the 70th minute, securing a two-goal advantage for Zarzis before the return leg.

This win gives Zarzis a good start as they aim to make a mark in African club football after a long absence. In other matches, several games ended with close scores. Chad’s AS PSI and Côte d’Ivoire’s CO Korhogo played to a 2-2 draw, keeping their matchup open.

Cameroon’s Panthère drew 1-1 with Rwanda’s Rayon Sport, while Mauritius’s Port Louis also ended 1-1 against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy.

Sudan’s Hilal Alsahil won one of the day’s matches, defeating Ethiopian debutants Welwalo Adigrat 2-1.

The preliminary round runs from September 4 to 6, with return legs scheduled for the following week as teams aim to move towards the group stage. The 2026/27 competition includes 17 debutants alongside established clubs, and the opening round has already shown many closely contested games.

Friday’s results

  • AS PSI (Chad) 2-2 CO Korhogo (Côte d’Ivoire)
  • ES Zarzis (Tunisia) 3-1 Diambars (Senegal)
  • Panthère (Cameroon) 1-1 Rayon Sport (Rwanda)
  • Port Louis (Mauritius) 1-1 Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
  • Hilal Alsahil (Sudan) 2-1 Welwalo Adigrat (Ethiopia)
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Zamalek, JS Saoura Start CAF Champions League Campaigns with Wins

Egyptian side Zamalek defeated Djibouti’s AS Port 2-1 in Cairo in the first leg of the first qualifying round of the CAF Champions League, beginning its bid for a sixth title.

Mohamed Shehata opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Angolan forward Chico Banza doubled Zamalek’s lead with a header in the 37th minute.

AS Port, making its debut in the competition, pulled one back through Mahdi Hussein Mahbi in the 82nd minute but could not find an equaliser.

Both legs will be played in Cairo because Djibouti lacks a stadium that meets international standards. The return match is scheduled for September 12.

Zamalek last won the Champions League in 2002. It has since reached two finals, losing to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and Al Ahly in 2020.

Elsewhere, Algeria’s JS Saoura beat Guinea’s Horia 1-0, while Libya’s Asswehly defeated Zanzibar’s KVZ by the same score.

by Football Sierra Leone

Amadou Diallo FC Ready for East End Lions’ CAF Interclub First Leg

Amadou Diallo Plateau Football Academy, aka AFAD, based in Abidjan-Plateau,  are getting ready to face the East End Lions of Sierra Leone as they make their return to African elite club football.

This Sunday, September 6, they will host one of Sierra Leone’s most decorated clubs at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium. This match is the first leg of the first round of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Days before the game, AFAD’s coach, Firmin Koffi, shows calm and determination. He believes the team can succeed in their first challenge in the CAF Confederation Cup.

“We know we’ll face a team that plays direct football with intensity,” says Koffi, highlighting the importance of a strong start in the two-legged tie. “It’s crucial to perform well at home; we aim for a solid lead, ideally 3-0.”

Koffi draws confidence from the team’s preparation, with five wins, five draws, and four losses to their name. He notes that all injured players have returned, and the core of last season’s squad is intact.

AFAD approaches their first African match with seriousness and ambition, aiming to take the lead before travelling to Sierra Leone. They will need strength on the field and support from fans.

Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone Premier League side has arrived safely in Ivory Coast for the match.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Carlos Queiroz reappointed as Black Stars head coach

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has reappointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the Black Stars. On Wednesday, September 2, the GFA announced it had reached an agreement with the experienced Portuguese coach.

Queiroz signed a four-month contract in April, which ended a few weeks ago. The GFA needed to decide on his future before the 2027 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Queiroz also coached Ghana during the recent FIFA World Cup, where the team lost 1-0 to Colombia in the round of 32.

The GFA stated that, after discussions with the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, it was agreed that Queiroz would start a new coaching role during the upcoming international break.

The GFA believes Queiroz’s experience and knowledge of the Black Stars will help lead the team forward.

More details about his new role and the Black Stars’ schedule will be shared soon, as the GFA and Queiroz focus on building a stronger team for international competitions.

Queiroz will coach the Black Stars in the 2027 AFCON, where they are in Group C with three-time African champions Côte D’Ivoire, The Gambia, and Somalia.

The qualification matches start this month, and the top two teams will advance to the main tournament, hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Ghana hopes to improve after missing the last tournament held in Morocco.