KCCA FC face Nigeria, Tunisia opponents next

CONFEDERATION CUP: Mazembe begin group campaign against Mounana

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Uganda’s KCCA have got a tough group in the CAF Confederation Cup where they will face Tunisian, Nigerian and Morocco opponents.

FUS Rabat of Morocco, also former winners of the secondary competition, face Club Africain of Tunisia, Rivers United of Nigeria and KCCA of Uganda in Group A.

The group stage of the 14-year-old competition was increased from eight clubs to 16 this year in a new format.

A cash boost guarantees all clubs $275,000 (250,000 euros) while the winners pocket $1.25 million.

CAF Confederation Cup title-holders TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo will begin their group campaign in May at home to CF Mounana of Gabon.

Mazembe and Mounana were placed in Group D with SuperSport United of South Africa and Horoya of Guinea when the draw was made in Cairo on Wednesday.

Popularly known as the “Ravens”, the club from southern Congolese city Lubumbashi are the second most successful in CAF competitions with 10 titles.

Mazembe outclassed Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria 5-2 on aggregate last year to win the Confederation Cup for the first time after finishing runners-up four years ago.

They began this year in the richer and more prestigious CAF Champions League only to be demoted after a shock qualifying loss to CAPS United of Zimbabwe.

Only six of the 16 Champions League demotees survived a play-off phase in which they were pitted against survivors from two rounds of Confederation Cup qualifying.

Record three-time Confederation Cup winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia were placed in Group B with Platinum Stars of South Africa, Mouloudia Alger of Algeria and Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland.

FUS Rabat of Morocco, also former winners of the secondary competition, face Club Africain of Tunisia, Rivers United of Nigeria and KCCA of Uganda in Group A.

Zesco United of Zambia, Recreativo Libolo of Angola, Al Hilal Obeid of Sudan and Smouha of Egypt are in Group C.

Matchday 1 (May 12-14)

Gp A: FUS Rabat (MAR) v KCCA (UGA), Club Africain (TUN) v Rivers Utd (NGR)

Gp B: CS Sfaxien (TUN) v Mbabane Swallows (SWZ), Platinum Stars (RSA) v Mouloudia Alger (ALG)

Gp C: Zesco Utd (ZAM) v Smouha (EGY), Recreativo Libolo (ANG) v Al Hilal Obeid (SUD)

Gp D: TP Mazembe (COD, holders) v CF Mounana (GAB), SuperSport Utd (RSA) v Horoya (GUI)

Matchday 2 (May 23-24)

Gp A: Rivers v FUS, KCCA v Africain

Gp B: Mouloudia v Sfaxien, Swallows v Platinum

Gp C: Hilal v Zesco, Smouha v Libolo

Gp D: Horoya v Mazembe, Mounana v SuperSport

Matchday 3 (June 2-4)

Gp A: KCCA v Rivers, FUS v Africain

Gp B: Swallows v Mouloudia, Sfaxien v Platinum

Gp C: Smouha v Hilal, Zesco v Libolo

Gp D: Mounana v Horoya, Mazembe v SuperSport

Marchday 4 (June 20-21)

Gp A: Rivers v KCCA, Africain v FUS

Gp B: Mouloudia v Swallows, Platinum v Sfaxien

Gp C: Hilal v Smouha, Libolo v Zesco

Gp D: Horoya v Mounana, SuperSport v Mazembe

Matchday 5 (June 30-July 2)

Gp A: KCCA v FUS, Rivers v Africain

Gp B: Swallows v Sfaxien, Mouloudia v Platinum

Gp C: Smouha v Zesco, Hilal v Libolo

Gp D: Mounana v Mazembe, Horoya v SuperSport

Matchday 6 (July 7-9)

Gp A: FUS v Rivers, Africain v KCCA

Gp B: Sfaxien v Mouloudia, Platinum v Swallows

Gp C: Zesco v Hilal, Libolo v Smouha

Gp D: Mazembe v Horoya, SuperSport v Mounana

Note: group winners and runners-up qualify for quarter-finals