By Brian Magiri
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) held a draw for the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup on Monday in Cairo, Egypt.
The 16 teams who qualified for the group stages of both tournaments were divided into four groups.
In the Champions League, Group A includes Tanzanian giants Yanga, Al Hilal from Sudan, Congolese team TP Mazembe and MC Alger from Algeria.
Group B is headlined by Mamelodi Sundowns, semi-finalists in the last two editions, who will go head to head with the Moroccan duo of AS FAR and Raja Casablanca with AS Maniema Union of DR Congo completing the group.
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Group C will see defending champions Al Ahly face off against South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, CR Belouizdad from Algeria and Stade Abidjan from Ivory Coast.
Ahly are the team to beat in the premier African club competition as they seek a historic third straight title having won the past two finals.
The Cairo Red Devils, coached by Swiss Marcel Koller, are unbeaten in 24 Champions League matches since a humiliating 5-2 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa early last year.
They created a Champions League record last season by conceding only one goal in 14 matches en route to winning the competition for an unprecedented 12th time.
The achievement was reached despite the lengthy absence of injured goalkeeper and captain Mohamed el Shenawy with Mostafa Shobeir deputising in nine matches.
Ahly and Pirates met in the 2013 Champions League final with the Egyptians winning 2-0 in Cairo after drawing 1-1 in Soweto.
Belouizdad will be making a fifth straight group-stage appearance while 1966 champions Stade Abidjan returned to the competition this season after a 54-year absence.
In Group D, last season’s runners-up Esperance from Tunisia will square it against Djoliba AC from Mali, Egypt’s Pyramids FC and Sagrada Esperança from Angola.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Tanzanian heavyweughts Simba SC will compete against CS Sfaxien from Tunisia, CS Constantine from Algeria and Bravos do Maquis from Angola.
Group B consists of RS Berkane from Morocco, Stade Malien from Mali, Stellenbosch FC from South Africa, and CS Luanda Sul from Angola.
Group C features USM Alger from Algeria, along with ASEC Mimosas from Ivory Coast, ASC Jaraaf from Senegal, and Orapa United from Botswana.
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In Group D, defending champions Zamalek will face Nigerian team Enyimba, Black Bulls from Mozambique and Al Masry from Egypt.
Unfortunately, Kenya has no representatives this season, as both Kenya Police and Gor Mahia were eliminated by Zamalek and Al Ahly, respectively.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
24/25 CAF Champions League Group Stage Draw
Group A: TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Young Africans (Tanzania), Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria)
Group B: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Raja Casablanca (Morocco), ASFAR (Morocco), AS Maniema Union (DR Congo)
Group C: Al Ahly (Egypt), CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Stade Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Group D: Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Pyramids FC (Egypt), Sagrada Esperança (Angola), Djoliba AC (Mali)
24/25 CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Draw
Group A: Simba SC (Tanzania), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia), CS Constantine (Algeria), Bravos do Maquis (Angola)
Group B: RS Berkane (Morocco), Stade Malien (Mali), Stellenbosch FC (South Africa), CS Luanda Sul (Angola)
Group C: USM Alger (Algeria), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), ASC Jaraaf (Senegal), Orapa United (Botswana)
Group D: Zamalek (Egypt), Al Masry SC (Egypt), Enyimba FC (Nigeria), Black Bulls (Mozambique)
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