Morocco > Caf Champions League quarter-final line-up to be completed this weekend

By Julie Peh

This season’s edition has been nothing short of exceptional, with upsets, thrills and goals that have characterised the continent’s biggest club competition over the years. Following another exciting round of clashes last week, five clubs joined Al-Hilal SC (Sudan) in securing passage into the quarter-finals with a game to spare, leaving two slots to be decided this weekend.

Al-Hilal were the first side to secure their place after Match Day 4 before being joined by defending champions Al Ahly (Egypt), AS FAR (Morocco), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Esperance (Tunisia) and Pyramids FC (Egypt). The remaining two slots will be decided from Group A and B, with Ahly and Pirates already qualified from Group C, and Esperance and Pyramids through in Group D.

With a mere point separating MC Alger (8) and Young Africans (7), the Group A encounter in Dar es Salaam promises to produce fireworks, with Yanga determined to avenge their 2-0 loss suffered in Algiers in December. In Group B, Raja Casablanca, who are away to the already ousted Maniema Union, will also be relying on their Moroccan counterparts, AS FAR to get a result that favours them when they travel to Pretoria to face 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns. AS FAR aim to finish top of the group, while Sundowns, who are just a point behind them, only need a draw to advance.

With qualification to the next round already secured for five clubs, pride remains at stake in the closing round of fixtures, with Pirates travelling to Cairo to face the defending champions Al Ahly, who held them to a goalless stalemate in Soweto two weeks ago.

Al Hilal aim to erase last weekend’s home defeat to Young Africans with an away win over TP Mazembe, who bowed out of contention in the penultimate round.

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Match Day 6 Fixtures:

Saturday, 18 January

Group A

• 13h00 GMT | TP Mazembe v Al Hilal FC
• 13h00 GMT | Young Africans SC v MC Alger

Group C

• 16h00 GMT | Stade d’Abidjan v CR Belouizdad
• 16h00 GMT | Al Ahly SC v Orlando Pirates FC

Group D

-19h00 GMT | Esperance v Sagrada Esperança 

-19h00 GMT | Pyramids v Djoliba FC

Sunday, 19 January:

Group B

-16h00 GMT | Sundowns v AS FAR

-16h00 GMT | Maniema Union v Raja Casablanca