Remo stars with the trophy after being crowned as NPFL winners
Remo Stars, Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, have been drawn against US Zilimadjou, champions of the Comoros Premier League, in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
Rivers United will also face the top-ranked club from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as Nigerian teams were handed tough ties in the draws for the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League and the Confederations Cup held at the Azam Media Studios in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday.
Remo Stars and Rivers United qualified for the CAF Champions League as NPFL Champions and runners-up, respectively. Abia Warriors, with their third-place finish, will represent Nigeria in the Confederations Cup, and they are joined by Kwara United, the President Federation Cup winners.
Remo Stars, who have been defeated in the first preliminary round in their previous outings, will host US Zilimadjou at their Ikenne stadium, before travelling to Comoros for the second leg.
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Rivers United will, however, travel to DR Congo for the first leg against their currently unknown opponent as the championship round of the country’s premier domestic league is still to be completed.
The Pride of Rivers will face either AC Leopard of Congo or Black Bulls of Mozambique in the second round, while Remo Stars have the unenviable task of overcoming Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa’s dominant club, in the second round for a place in the money-spinning group phase.
No Nigerian club has reached the group stage of the Champions League since the 2019/2020 season.
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In the CAF Confederations Cup draw, Kwara United will face Asante Kotoko of Ghana, while Abia Warriors will square off against Djoliba AC of Mali.
Kwara United will visit Kumasi, Ghana, in the first leg before hosting Kotoko in Nigeria a week later. Victory for the Harmony boys will see them face Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, three-time Champions League winners, ranked the 8th best club on the continent according to the latest CAF club ranking.
Abia Warriors, in their debut CAF Confederations Cup appearance, will stare down Djoliba AC, one of Mali’s biggest club sides. The Warriors host the first leg and will travel to Bamako for the second leg.
A triumph for the Ochendo Babes would see them face either Burkina Faso’s USFA or AS Gbohloe SU of Togo in the second round.
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The first preliminary round ties will be played on the weekends of September 19–21 and September 26–28, for the first and second legs, respectively. Afterwards, the second preliminary round ties would take place on the weekends of October 17–19 and October 24–26.
Success in the preliminary rounds will earn Nigerian representatives a place in the lucrative group stage of both competitions, set to begin in November.
Fixtures
CAF Champions League 1st preliminary round
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- Remo Stars vs US Zilimadjou (winner to face Mamelodi Sundowns in 2nd round)
- DR Congo 1 vs Rivers United (winner to face either AC Leopards or Black Bulls in 2nd Preliminary Round)
CAF Confederations Cup 1st preliminary round
- Abia Warriors vs Djoliba AC (Winner to face either USFA Ouagadougou or Gbohloe SU in 2nd round)
- Asante Kotoko vs Kwara United (Winner to play Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in 2nd round)
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