CAF Champions League 2009: First Round Fixtures Released

It was only last month that Al Ahly won a record sixth Champions League title in Cameroon, but fans and managers alike have already switched their attention to next season's elite club competition. The fixtures for the first and second rounds have been announced in Cairo.

Africa’s illustrious and most prosperous club Al Ahly of Egypt will be satisfied with their opening round draw in the CAF Champions League for 2009. Al Ahly, the reigning champions and most successful team in the competition having collected the honourable first prize on six occasions, will meet the victor of the first round match between Tanzanian champions Young Africans and Etoile d'or de Mirontsy of Comores. Despite the first opposition remaining unknown for the time being for Al Ahly, Manuel Jose’s men will have the utmost confidence of advancing to the third round.

The 2008 runners-up Coton Sport will be challenged by DC Motema Pembe of DR Congo or Gambia’s Mangasport in the second round, while three-times champions Canon Yaounde welcome the threat of Inter Star of Burundi with the victor progressing to the stage of 32. Al Hilal, Sudan’s most recognised outfit in the sport having won their domestic championship 23 times, will hope to emulate last season’s heroics of advancing to the semi-finals. One of Academie Ny Antsika of Madagascar and USS Tamponnaise from the Reunion Islands await Al Hilal.

The group stage will be formed from those who win the third round ties, where two groups of four shall contest the semi-final positions available.

The representatives of Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe are still yet to be decided. The first round ties will take place on the weekend of January 30-31 and February 1, with the next round scheduled for March 13-15 and the deciding tie on April 3-5.