Big Guns Enter CAF Champions League

TP Mazembe Englebert of DR Congo begin the defence of their CAF Champions League title today, playing away in Kigali against APR FC in the competition’s second round.

The champions were given a bye in the opening stage, but that advantage has been negated by a match-up with Rwanda’s most successful club side, APR FC, who have won the Cecafa Clubs Cup in 2004 and 2007.

The weekend’s second round, first leg ties across the continent sees the arrival of several of the other favourites, including Egypt’s Al Ahly and last year’s runners-up Heartland FC of Nigeria in the competition.

SuperSport United will be hosting Mozambique’s Ferroviario Maputo.

TP Mazembe only started their domestic campaign in the last month but have already been handed massive affirmation of their new found status in African football.

They won the CAF Africa Super Cup over Stade Malien last month and then last week were named Club of the Year at CAF’s annual awards in Ghana.

Indeed, they have further improved their squad since last November’s Champions League triumph, adding Zambia goalkeeper Stopirra Nsunzu to their ranks, who was previously on the books of Chateauroux.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly’s first Champions League appearance this year is at Gunners FC in Harare today; one of three matches to take place in the Zimbabwe capital this weekend, while Heartland of Nigeria are away at Tiko United, who won the Cameroonian league title for the first time last season.

Hopes are high for last year’s silver medalists after Nigeria saw their other representatives in this year’s campaign embarrassingly eliminated in the first round.

Bayelsa United lost to Gazelle, whose reward is a tough home game against Al Merreikh from neighbouring Sudan.