Sudan Premier League champions, Al Hilal have pitched camp in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to prepare ahead of the group stage of the 2022/2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
“We decided to come and camp in Tanzania so that the players can also have time to concentrate,” said Al Hilal’s head coach Florent Ibenge.
The Sudan giants are placed in Group B alongside former winners Al Ahly (Egypt), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) and Cameroon’s Cotton Sport.
Ibenge’s team kick started with a friendly match against Tanzania Premier League side, Namungo FC played on Thursday at the Azam Complex in Chamazi. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Shiza Kichuya put Namungo FC ahead after 37 minutes, but Al Hilal leveled late through substitute Hashim Manyanya in the second minute of extra time.
Al Hilal have two more international friendly matches lined up against Azam FC on January 31st and Simba SC on February 5th. Simba SC are the only Tanzania team that has qualified for the group stage of the 2022/2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage.
Meanwhile Sudan’s second team that will feature in the group stage Al Merriekh are camped in Egypt ahead of their matches. They are placed in Group D alongside Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Zamalek (Egypt) and Algeria’s CR Belouizdad.