TheCable

Nigeria’s sole candidate in CAF club competitions, Warri Wolves, will meet AC Leopards of Congo-Brazzaville in the play-off round of the Confederation Cup.

Following the draw conducted in Egypt on Tuesday, the Dolisie-based club – eliminated from the CAF Champions League by Smouha FC of Egypt – will host the first leg on the weekend of May 15-17, with Wolves, who knocked out MC Etancheite of DR Congo to reach this stage, entertaining the Leopards in Warri on June 7.

The draw saw the successful teams from the Confederation Cup combined with the eight losers from the CAF Champions League, with the losers hosting first leg matches of fixtures that will see winners going into a group stage.

There are two mouth-watery all-North African affairs, with Morocco’s Raja Casablanca – eliminated from the Champions League by holders Entente Setif on penalties – taking on Tunisaia’s Etoile du Sahel, while Club Africain also of Tunisia visit eight-time African champions Al Ahly of Egypt.

Another Tunisian side, CS Sfaxien, host ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.

AS Vita of DR Congo visit Stade Malien in Bamako and Sanga Balende of DR Congo take on Zamalek of Egypt.

Orlando Pirates of South Africa are away to AS Kaloum Star of Guinea in the first leg, while Esperance of Tunisia, eliminated by Al Merreikh, are to play Ghana’s Hearts of Oak.

In the CAF Champions League, all three Algerian clubs that made history (holders Entente Setif, USM Alger and MC El Eulma) are in Group B, alongside Al Merreikh of Sudan, while Smouha of Egypt, Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco, TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Al Hilal of Sudan play in Group A.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

GROUP A

Smouha FC (Egypt)

Moghreb Tetouan (Morocco)

TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Al Hilal (Sudan)

GROUP B

Entente Setif (Algeria)

USM Alger (Algeria)

Al Merreikh (Sudan)

MC El Eulma (Algeria)

CAF CONFEDERATION CUP

AC Leopards (Congo) v Warri Wolves (Nigeria)

Esperance (Tunisia) v Hearts of Oak (Ghana)

Raja Casablanca (Morocco) v Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)

AS Kaloum Star (Guinea) v Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

Sanga Balenda (DR Congo) v Zamalek (Egypt)

Stade Bamako (Mali) v AS Vita (DR Congo)

Al Ahly (Egypt) v Club Africain (Tunisia)

CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) v ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)