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TOUGH OPPONENTS AWAIT LEOPARD

18/10/2022 08:41:00 Ntokozo Magongo

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MBABANE – It is not getting easier for Royal Leopard in the TotalEnergies Confederation Cup as tough opponents await them in the play-offs.

After crashing out of the CAF Champions League in the second preliminary round on Sunday, the police side have a chance of making it to the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup if they win the two-legged play-offs match. The draw for the play-off is billed for today, 2pm in Cairo, Egypt. Leopard were defeated 3-2 on aggregate by the Cameroonian side to be relegated to the CAF Confederation Cup. All the 16 clubs eliminated from the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies Champions League will face the CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round winners on November 2 and 9. This is a race to the group stage of the TotalEnergies Confederation Cup this season.

eliminated

The eliminated teams from the Champions League include heavyweights TP Mazembe, ASEC, Rivers United, Plateau United, Primeiro Agosto, Royal Leopard, Young Africans, ASKO, Al Merreikh and several other top clubs. Some of the clubs set to face Leopard include the title holders Berkane, who were given a scare by Kwara to reach play-offs. The Moroccans defeated Kwara United 2-0 in the second-leg at home to be able to advance on a 3-3 aggregate score line, having lost 3-1 to the Nigerians last week. Royal AM, who eliminated Highlanders 2-0 on aggregate in the first hurdle, are also among the possible opponents for Edwin Matsebula’s men. According to cafoneline.com, Fakhereedine Ben Youssef scored a hat-trick to help Egyptian side Pyramids inflict a 7-0 defeat on Hilal Alsahil of Sudan in Cairo to advance 9-0 on aggregate.

Their compatriots Future were other big winners as they hammered Kallon Stars of Sierra Leone 4-0 to secure a 6-0 aggregate qualification. Ahmed Khalil and Hmadi Labidi scored a brace each, helping Tunisia side Club Africain to win 7-0 at home against Tanzanian side Kipanga to advance 7-0 on aggregate. Leopard skipper Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini felt the exit in the Champions League was now water under the bridge. ‘Mzoro’ said their target was to reach the group stages again.