Caf Champions League: Tusker to face Arta Solar 7, Yanga SC draw Rivers United, Express vs Al Merrikh

FKF Premier League side Tusker have been drawn to face Arta Solar in the preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Yanga SC will return to the continental scene with a clash against Rivers United of Nigeria while Ugandan Premier League champions Express will travel to Sudan to face Al Merrikh.

According to the draw conducted on Friday at Caf headquarters in Cairo, defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt will start their title defence in the second round to face the winner between US Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger) and Le Messager de Ngozi (Burundi).

Simba SC receive by to second round

Simba SC of Tanzania, who reached the quarter-finals last season, are among ten teams that received a bye to the second round and were thus exempted from the draw.

Others are Raja Casablanca of Morocco, Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Zamalek (Egypt), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Horoya AC (Guinea), Tout Puissant Mazembe (DR Congo), Etoile Sportive du Sahel (Tunisia), and Wydad (Morocco).

Simba SC.

Tusker will be making a return to the competition after being handed the continental berth by the Football Kenya Federation for being at the top of the 18-team table at the end of June 30.

The FKF were forced to use the criteria to help beat the deadline set by Caf and outgoing champions Gor Mahia will take part in the Confederation Cup after beating rivals AFC Leopards 4-2 on penalties to win the Shield Cup.

Tusker and Yanga making a comeback

Just like Tusker, Yanga are also making a return to the competition after finishing second in the Mainland Premier League, with champions Simba also set to take part.

Meanwhile, Express were handed the ticket by the Federation of Uganda Football Association after they moved to end the 2020-21 season owing to a spike in the numbers of coronavirus cases in the country.

The first round, which kicks off on September 10, will be played in 44 matches divided into two legs: home and away and the aggregate winners will progress to the second round.