The group phase of the CAF Champions League (LDC), which features Africa's top 16 clubs, kicks off this Friday, November 24. There are two mouth-watering opening fixtures: Pyramids - TP Mazembe at 4pm GMT and CR Belouizdad - Young Africans at 7pm. Two first real tests for the Congolese and Algerians to see where they stand.
Pyramids - TP Mazembe: Les Corbeaux back to their best
Pyramids - TP Mazembe kicks off Africa's most prestigious club competition. It's a meeting between a club on the rise on the continent and a giant that has been struggling in recent years. Pyramids FC, created in 2008, bought out and renamed in 2018, has become a regular in African competitions. Since 2019, the team has reached the final, semi-finals and quarter-finals of the CAF Cup in the last 2 campaigns. Pyramids continues its ascent in African soccer, reaching the 1/8th stage of the CAF LDC this season. The ambitious team has no intention of stopping there.
The Egyptian team, intent on making history in Africa, meet TP Mazembe, who are looking to regain their status. Indeed, the Congolese team is out for revenge after being eliminated in the second round of LDC qualifying last year by Uganda's Vipers. The team will be keen to get off to a good start in this phase, in the hope of returning to the quarter-finals, a stage they haven't reached since the 2019-2020 season.
TP Mazembe coach Lamine Ndiaye told a pre-match press conference: "We didn't come to Egypt to defend. We came to fight in our own style and we know that the opponent has very great offensive capabilities."
Pyramids captain Abdullah Al-Saeed also says he and his team-mates are aiming for victory. "We need to make a perfect start by beating Mazembe and collecting all three points to play at the top of the group," he says.
Current dynamics of Pyramids and TP Mazembe
Pyramids, 2nd in the league with 13 points after 6 rounds, are currently on a roll. They have won 4 of their last 5 matches. TP Mazembe are also in fine form in the league, sitting second in Group A with 27 points from 11 games.Only Saint-Eloi are better off, with a 1-point lead.
The two teams met in the 2021-2022 CAF Cup quarter-finals, a match which went in the Congolese favour, with a 2-0 home win and a 0-0 draw in the return leg.
CR Belouizdad - Young Africans get off to a good start
The other match of the day pits CR Belouizdad, quarter-finalists in the last edition of the LDC, against Tanzanian finalists in the last Confederation Cup. The Young Africans bluffed the African soccer world with their progress, but above all with their beautiful game and the enthusiasm of their supporters.
The Tanzanian club, keen to make a name for themselves in Africa, will be looking to build on last year's fine run in the CAF Cup and show that they are a force to be reckoned with in African soccer from now on. Their away opener against Algeria's Belouizdad will provide an insight into their strengths and weaknesses.
CRB will be hoping to erase their quarter-final elimination last year against Mamelodi Sundowns, who showed their superiority. On aggregate, the South Africans triumphed (6-2), winning both the first and second legs (4-1 and 2-1 respectively). CR Belouizdad's Brazilian coach, Carlos Paqueta, is aiming for victory on this occasion. "This first match is important for both teams, and we have to win it. [We're CRB and we're going to play at home and in front of our fans. We're going to respect all our opponents, but we have to win at home", he said. His Argentinian counterpart at the helm of Young Africans, Miguel Gamondi, also wants to record a good result for the group phase."CR Belouizdad are a great team, they have former international players, but we have to remain confident in order to achieve a good result and do credit to our supporters," he declares.
Current form of CR Belouizdad and Young Africans
On Matchday 6, CR Belouizdad are 3rd in the league on 12 points, with 4 wins and 2 defeats. The team has won 2 of its last 2 matches.Young Africans, for their part, are the sole leaders of the Tanzanian championship at the end of matchday 9, with 24 points. The team has won 5 of its last 5 matches.
Mazoezi ya mwisho kuelekea mchezo wetu wa kesho #CAFCL dhidi ya CR Belouizdad yameanza kwenye Uwanja wa 5 July 1962🔋💪🏽#TimuYaWananchi #DaimaMbeleNyumaMwiko pic.twitter.com/vel9SxAO2v
— Young Africans SC (@YoungAfricansSC) November 23, 2023
