The business end of the CAF interclub competitions kicked off this weekend with the Champions League setting the tone yesterday with some exhilarating encounters, and the Confederations Cup is expected to keep the momentum going today.
With Orlando Pirates missing out on the Champions League group stages by a whisker, representing South Africa on the continent are Betway Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, and the forever-improving Stellenbosch FC. The latter two are in the Confederation Cup
Sundowns opened their Champions League account yesterday, when they hosted DR Congo’s FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo at Loftus Versveld.
Today, Chiefs and Stellenbosch will be in action and will both be looking to get positive results in their opening group-stage matches.
Other South Africans based abroad who will be flying the flag high include MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena, Wydad Athletic Club star Thembinkosi Lorch, and the Simba SC duo of Neo Maema and Rushine de Reuck.
Mamelodi Sundowns (Champions League)
Sundowns are no strangers to the Champions League space, as they have qualified for the competition 11 times in a row, including the season when they won it in 2016 under coach Pitso Mosimane.
Last season, Masandawana reached the final under coach Miguel Cardoso. Before that they were eliminated in back-to-back semifinals under Mokwena.
Despite the challenges this season, Cardoso will want nothing but to fight all the way to the final again and possibly win an elusive second star.
Sundowns are pitted against Al Hilal, Saint Eloi Lupopo, and MC Alger in a tricky Group C, but are expected to advance to the next stage of
the competition.
Kaizer Chiefs (Confederation Cup)
Amakhosi fans, will be beaming with pride and joy, as the Glamour Boys have made a return to the continental stage after a long absence.
Chiefs last featured in CAF interclub competition during the 2020-21 season, when they reached the CAF Champions League final, only to be hammered 3-0 by Egyptian giants Al Ahly, coached by Mosimane at the time.
Now, under the leadership of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, with an exciting group of players, Amakhosi will fancy their chances of success in the Confederation Cup champions this season.
Stellenbosch FC (Confederation Cup)
The team from the Cape Winelands will be making their second consecutive appearance in the Confederations Cup after their impressive debut last season.
Stellenbosch defied all odds and punched above their weight last season when they went all the way to the semifinals of the competition.
They were eliminated by Tanzanian outfit Simba, which was coached by South African Fadlu Davids at that time. Davids is currently the head coach of Raja Casablanca in Algeria.
Despite Stellies not doing so well and having a topsy-turvy start in the domestic league, they are still expected to pick up from where they left off last season and perform well on the continental stage.
