The long road to this season’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League final got underway on Friday with the 2021 CECAFA Kagame Cup finalists, Express FC and Nyasa Big Bullets, recording important victories in the first legs of their preliminary round qualifiers.
Ugandan Premier League champions Express FC hold a slim advantage against Sudan’s Al Merreikh after a 2-1 win at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.
Eric Kambale broke the deadlock for the home side in the seventh minute but Bakri Al Madina leveled for the visitors six minutes before halftime.
Martin Kizza scored the winning goal on the hour mark to give the Ugandan side an important win despite conceding what may turn out to be a crucial away goal.
Meanwhile, Malawian champions Nyasa Big Bullets secured a vital away win defeating South Africa’s Amazulu FC 1-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Chiukepo Msowoya netted the only goal of the game and, despite being reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Yamikani Fodya later on, Nyasa Big Bullets held on for a precious victory ahead of the return leg at home.
12 more matches are scheduled to be played on Saturday with some prominent sides in action amongst them ES Sétif of Algeria, Stade Malien of Mali, Al Ittihad of Libya and Zambia’s ZESCO United.
The standout tie sees last season’s group stage participants Teungueth of Senegal host ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire in Thies.
(Story compiled with assistance from wire reports)