Football: African club competitions 2007 draw-Regional opponents for local clubs |23 December 2006

First division League champions for the first time this year, Anse Réunion will face Madagascar’s AS Adema in their opening Champions League qualifier, while Land Marine Cup champions St Michel have been paired against Reunion’s St Pauloise in the Confederation Cup.

The first leg preliminary round matches of both the 11th Caf Champions League and 4th Confederations Cup will be played during the weekend of January 26-28, 2007. The return legs have been scheduled for the weekend of February 9-11, 2007.

Against AS Adema, Anse Réunion will make their debut in the lucrative Caf Champions League won this year by Egyptian outfit Al Ahly, who finished third in the recent World Club Cup played in Yokohama, Japan.

La Digue-based Anse Réunion’s only previous participation in an African club competition was in 2003 and they progressed to the first round of the old African Cup Winners’ Cup.
After walking over Masvingo of Zimbabwe in the preliminary round, Anse Réunion lost 8-9 on penalties to Kenya Pipeline in the first round after the score had remained tied at 3-3 after the two ties. Anse Réunion lost 1-2 away and won 2-1 at Stad Linite. Malagasy striker Amisy Voavy, who is now with Red Star after an unfruitful spell with La Passe, scored once in both ties and his compatriot Jocelyn Joaravean got the other goal in the home tie.

With coach Vojo benefiting from a deserved holiday in his homeland of Serbia Montenegro after propelling Anse Réunion to capturing their first top flight league crown even though he took over the helm with the 2006 season well under way, it is not clear when the team will resume training.

With assistant coaches Juel Ah-kong and Jean-François Dora unable to be reached by phone, skipper Ricky Rose, chosen as best goalkeeper for the 2006 season, could not speak to Sports Nation as he was tied up with his work.

Reigning League champions Anse Réunion will play away first.
Al Ahly have a bye to the next round, where they are scheduled to meet either Highlanders of Zimbabwe or Pamplemousse of Mauritius. After edging CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 2-1 on aggregate in a dramatic final last month to retain the title, the Egyptian champions are seeking a record third consecutive triumph in a championship first staged 42 years ago.

Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel, who won this year's Confederation Cup, have also been exempted from first round action along with Asec Mimosas from the Ivory Coast and Morrocco's FAR Rabat who have also received a bye.

St Michel resume African duty

After a two-year absence, St Michel are back in the African frame and they will meet African debutante St Pauloise, who won this year’s Reunion Cup – their first title in 20 years.
In fact, St Pauloise are St Michel’s second Reunionnais opponents in African club competitions after meeting AS Marsouins in the Caf Champions League in 2001.

Having eliminated Madagascar’s AS Fortior 3-1 (0-0 in Madagascar and 3-1 at Stad Linite) in the preliminary round, St Michel won the first round tie on the away goals rule after the score was tied 4-4. Malagasy Clovis and Kenyan James Omondy scored a goal each in the 2-3 away loss. In the return leg, Omondy again netted a goal and Philip Zialor added another in a 2-1 win as St Michel set up a second round match-up against the mighty Al-Ahly, losing 0-6 (0-5 in Cairo and 0-1 at Stad Linite).

Preparation for St Michel’s sixth appearance in the Caf Champions League started on December 4 and coach Ralph ‘Tiapout’ Jean-Louis has described it as “active rest”.
“We’ve been doing some gym work and playing basketball. Full training will start on January followed by the Cooper’s test four days later. With four weeks training, I believe we will be ready for our match against St Pauloise. It’s good that we play our first leg match at home as we will be better prepared for the return leg in Reunion a fortnight later,” former St Michel and Seychelles attacking midfielder Jean-Louis told Sports Nation in a telephone conversation yesterday.

St Michel are the local club to have represented Seychelles the most in African club competitions, making eight consecutive appearances in as many years (from 1997 to 2004) – five in the Caf Champions League in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2004; two in the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1999 and 2002; and once in the Caf Cup in 2003.

Meanwhile, this year’s Caf Champions League losing finalists CS Sfaxien have been given a bye to the second round, while Confederation Cup holders Etoile du Sahel will play in the Caf Champions League as winners of the Tunisian league.

It is to note that Caf decided to scrap both the African Cup Winners’ Cup and the Caf Cup at the end of 2003, replacing them with the Confederations Cup and the first edition was contested in 2004.

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Caf Champions League first round draw

Highlanders (Zimbabwe) v Pamplemousse SC (Mauritius)
Sundowns (South Africa) v Royal Leopards (Swaziland)
St Pierroise (Reunion) v Desportivo Maputo (Mozambique)
Zamalek (Egypt) v Vital'O (Burundi)
Al Hilal (Sudan) v Polisi SC (Zanzibar)
Asante Kotoko (Ghana) v Gambia Ports Authority (Gambia)
ASFA Yennenga (Burkina Faso) v Nasarawa United (Nigeria)
Fello Star Labe (Guinea) v Sporting Praia (Cape Verde Islands)
Diaraf Dakar (Senegal) v Maranatha Fiokpo (Togo)
FC St Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) v APR FC (Rwanda)
USM Alger (Algeria) v AS FNIS (Niger)
Al Ittihad (Libya) v Mogas '90 (Benin)
Canon Yaounde (Cameroon) v Etoile du Congo (Congo)
St George (Ethiopia) v ESCOM (Malawi)
Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) v ASC Mauritel (Mauritania)
Stade Malien (Mali) v AS Douanes (Senegal)
Ocean Boys (Nigeria) v FC Kallon (Sierra Leone)
Petro Atlético (Angola) v Civics (Namibia)
Young Africans (Tanzania) v AGSM (Comoros Islands)
Likhopo (Lesotho) v ZANACO (Zambia)
Esperance (Tunisia) v Renaissance (Chad)
Renacimiento (Equatorial Guinea) v AshantiGold (Ghana)
TP Mazembe Englebert (DR Congo) v Police XI (Botswana)
AS Adema (Madagascar) v Anse Reunion (Seychelles)
JS Kabylie (Algeria) v OS Balantas (Guinea Bissau)
Primeiro Agosto (Angola) v Mangasport (Gabon)
Coton Sport (Cameroon) v Revenue Authority (Uganda)
Sewe Sport (Ivory Coast) v Mighty Barolle (Liberia)

Confederation Cup first round draw

Prince Louis FC (Burundi) v Atraco FC (Rwanda)
Notwane FC (Botswana) v Defence (Ethiopia)
Port de Lomé (Togo) v EGS Gafsa(Tunisia)
Sierra Leone v AS Bamako (Mali)
ASAC Concorde (Mauritania) v ASO Chelf (Algeria)
Ahly Tripoli (Libya) v Ascoton Chad (Chad)
Telestars (Gabon) v OC Bukavu Dawa (RD Congo)
Benefica Bissau (Guinea Bissau) v Satellite FC (Guinea)
Curepipe Starlight (Mauritius) v Ajesaia (Madagascar)
St Michel United (Seychelles) v St Pauloise FC (Reunion)
San Pedro Claver (Eq. Guinea) v S. Luanda e Benfica (Angola)
JS de Talangai (Congo) v Astres de Douala (Cameroun)
Sahel SC (Niger) v Etoile Filante (Burkina Faso)
Mundu FC (Zanzibar) v Mwana Africa FC (Zimbabwe)
Hawks FC (Gambia) v AS Denguélé (Ivory Coast)
NPA Anchors (Liberia) v US Goree (Sénégal)
Textile Pungue (Mozambique) v Simba (Tanzania)
AS Dragons (Benin) v Kwara United FC (Nigeria)

Teams mentioned first play at home in the first legs on the weekend of January 26-28. The return legs will be played on the weekend of February 9-11.

Seychelles clubs’ record against Malagasy teams

African Champions’ Cup 1989:
Preliminary round: St Louis v/s Cosfap of Madagascar (0-0 and 1-0) (free-kick Vincent
African Champions’ Cup 1991:
Preliminary round : St Louis v/s ASF of Madagsacar (0-0 and 1-4) (Donald Monnaie)
Caf Confederations Cup 2004:
Preliminary round: St Louis v/s Léopards Transfoot of Madagascar (2-2 and 0-4) (Philip Zialor and Alpha Baldé penalty in home leg).

African Champions’ League 1997:
Preliminary round: St Michel v/s BFV of Madagascar (1-2 and 0-3) (Pierrot)
African Champions’ League 2001:
Preliminary round: St Michel v/s AS Fortior of Madagascar (0-0 and 3-1) (Philip Zialor and James Omondy – two goals)
CAF Cup 2003:
First round: St. Michel v/s DSA of Madagascar (0-0, 1-0) (Alex Nibourette 84th minute volley)
African Championship League 2004:
Preliminary round: St. Michel v/s Eco Redipharm Toamasina of Madagascar (0-0 and 2-0) (Isaiah Onyango in the 61st minute and Kenny Rath in the 82nd minute)

African Cup Winners’ Cup 1997
Preliminary round: Red Star v/s Club Namakia of Madagascar (walk over for Red Star)
African Cup Winners’ Cup 2000:
Preliminary round: Red Star v/s FC Djivan of Madagascar (0-0 and 0-0 {0-2 on penalties})

African Champions’ League 2005:
Preliminary round: La Passe v/s l’USJF Ravinda of Madagascar (2-2 and 1-4) (Henry Ladouce and Jude Ladouce in home leg) (Bruno Saindini in away leg).

Seychelles clubs’ record against Reunionnais clubs

African Cup Winners’ 1996 Cup
Preliminary round: Red Star v/s St. Louisienne of Reunion (0-0, and 1-2) (Juel Ah-kong)
African Cup Winners’ Cup 1997
Second round: Red Star v/s St Louisienne of Reunion (0-2 and 0-3)
African Champions’ League 1999:
Preliminary round: Red Star v/s St. Louisienne of Reunion (0-2 and 0-4)

African Champions’ League 2001:
First round: St Michel v/s AS Marsouins of Reunion  (2-3 and 2-1) Clovis and James Omondy in away match), Phillip Zialor and James Omondy in return match)

G. G.