The draw for the inaugural African Football League (AFL) quarter-finals in Cairo has produced mouthwatering ties between some of the continent’s biggest clubs.
Tanzania’s Simba SC will host Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the first leg of the first quarter-final on October 20 in the draw conducted last Saturday by Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan and Angolan model Maria Borges.
Al Ahly have won a record 11 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League titles while Simba are seeking a maiden semi-final appearance in the new AFL.
Five-time Champions League winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo take on Tunisian cup specialists Esperance, four-time winners, in the second quarter-final first leg on October 21.
Nigerian outfit Enyimba, the first Nigerian club to win the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004, face Moroccan heavyweights Wydad Casablanca who have three titles.
Petro du Luanda from Angola and Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa conclude the quarter-final match ups.
Petro’s participation will however depend on an appeal they have filed with the Angolan Football Association over a discipline matter.
The quarter-final first legs take place from October 20-22, with the returns legs scheduled between October 24-25 to decide the semi-finalists.
The inaugural AFL final will be in early November to crown the new champions of Africa.
These quarter-final clashes pit teams with 43 Champions League titles between them in a battle of the continent’s heavyweights.
The AFL path to glory promises engrossing encounters between African club football’s most decorated sides.
Full fixtures:
Quarter-final 1-October 20: Simba v Al-Ahly October 24: Al-Ahly v Simba.
Quarter-final 2-October 21: T.P Mazembe v Esperance. October 25: Esperance v T.P Mazembe.
Quarter final 3: October 22: Enyimba v Wydad Casablanca. October 25: Wydad v Enyimba.
Quarter-final 4: October 21: Petro Atletico du Luanda v Mamelodi Sundowns. October 24: Mamelodi Sundowns v Petro Atletico de Luanda.
October 29 and November 1– Semi-final 1 and Semi-final 2.
November 5 and November 11– Final 1 and 2.
