Rangers, Rivers, Wikki get tricky CAF fixtures

Nigerian clubs in the continental games are indeed in tricky fixtures for their competitions. League champions Enugu Rangers will take on Algerian club Jeunne Sportive Saoura in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League following the draw made in Cairo on Wednesday for the continental club matches.

The first leg will be played away in Algeria on 10, 11 or 12 February, with the second leg fixed for Enugu a week later.

The winners of the tie will have quite a big work to do as they will face former champions and this year’s finalists Zamalek in the next round.

Nigeria’s Super Four champions Rivers United will play against Mali’s AS Bamako. If Rivers who just had a playing tour of Spain can get over the Malians, they will then battle against El Merrikh of Sudan or Sony Nguema of Guinea in the next round.

The Nigerians will travel to Bamako for the first leg and will then host the return game at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

In CAF Confederation Cup, FC IfeanyiUbah were pitched against Egypt’s Al-Masry SC. The 2016 Federation Cup winners get to host the first-leg of the encounter.

The other Nigeria representatives Wikki Tourists will also host the first-leg of their preliminary round fixture. Wikki have been drawn against Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces F.C. ( RSLAF F.C.).

In the Confederation Cup, Federation Cup winners FC IfeanyiUbah will travel to Egypt where they face Al-Masry in the first leg of their preliminary tie. If IfeanyiUbah beat the Egyptians, they will face Djoliba of Mali.

Nigeria’s other representatives in the competition Wikki Tourists will tackle RSLAF of Sierra Leone in the preliminary round and Club Africain of Tunisia in the first round.