Wits, Chiefs and Sundowns have work cut out in Africa
by Mark Gleeson,
2016-03-01 05:00:00.0
WITS, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns now face stiffer opposition, as they head into the second round of continental club competition in March, with much longer and taxing trips lying ahead.
All three will play at home in the first leg on the weekend of March 11-13, with the return matches just a week later.
Sundowns, having scraped through against Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe, now play AC Leopards of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Kaizer Chiefs take on former African champions ASEC Abidjan in the African Champions League.
In the African Confederation Cup, Wits are up against Azam of Tanzania.
Leopards have risen quickly through the African football ranks and won the 2012 Confederation Cup in the first continental success for a side from the Congo for almost 40 years, as they beat Djoliba of Mali 4-3 on aggregate in an upset.
Athletic Club Leopards was founded in 1954 by a Catholic priest, but only won a place in the top flight of Congolese football in 2009. The club’s owner is army officer Remy Ayayos Ikounga, a close friend of President Joseph Kabila’s nephew.
Leopards met Orlando Pirates twice in the past three years in the group phase of the 2013 Champions League and last year’s Confederation Cup.
Pirates beat them home and away last year, but in 2013, lost to them in the Congo after being held goalless at the Orlando Stadium.
Chiefs coach Steve Komphela, centre, celebrates with Camaldine Abraw after William Twala’s winning goal against SuperSport. Picture: GALLO IMAGES
WITS, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns now face stiffer opposition, as they head into the second round of continental club competition in March, with much longer and taxing trips lying ahead.
All three will play at home in the first leg on the weekend of March 11-13, with the return matches just a week later.
Sundowns, having scraped through against Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe, now play AC Leopards of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Kaizer Chiefs take on former African champions ASEC Abidjan in the African Champions League.
In the African Confederation Cup, Wits are up against Azam of Tanzania.
Leopards have risen quickly through the African football ranks and won the 2012 Confederation Cup in the first continental success for a side from the Congo for almost 40 years, as they beat Djoliba of Mali 4-3 on aggregate in an upset.
Athletic Club Leopards was founded in 1954 by a Catholic priest, but only won a place in the top flight of Congolese football in 2009. The club’s owner is army officer Remy Ayayos Ikounga, a close friend of President Joseph Kabila’s nephew.
Leopards met Orlando Pirates twice in the past three years in the group phase of the 2013 Champions League and last year’s Confederation Cup.
Pirates beat them home and away last year, but in 2013, lost to them in the Congo after being held goalless at the Orlando Stadium.
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