The SA Football Association (Safa) has thrown its weight behind Premier Soccer League clubs Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and BidVest Wits as they embark on their CAF club competition this weekend.
League Champions Sundowns, together with runners up Chiefs will contest the CAF Champions League while Nedbank Cup winners Pirates and third-place finishers in the League, Wits, will take part in the CAF Confederations Cup.
Sundowns will be hoping a lot of love will be on their side as they face St Michel in Seychelles on Valentines Day (Saturday, 14 February) in the preliminary stage of the competition. The match kicks off at 16h30.
The Brazilians last played in the Champions League in 2001 when they reached the final. They lost 4-1 on aggregate to Egyptian giants Al Ahly after a 1-1 draw at home and 3-0 loss in Cairo.
Orlando Pirates are the only South African club to have won the competition (1995) and reached the 2013 final where they lost to Al Ahly.
The second leg will be played on the weekend of 27, 28 February and 1 March.
PSL log leaders Kaizer Chiefs host Township Rollers from Botswana at FNB Stadium also on Saturday, 14 February in a match which kicks off at 19h30.
In the CAF Confederations Cup, BidVest Wits welcomes Royal Leopards of Swaziland at BidVest Wits Stadium on the same day with an earlier kickoff of 18h00.
Pirates have been given a bye – they automatically advance to the next stage of the CAF Confederations Cup where they will meet either Elgeco Plus of Madagascar or Uganda Revenue Authority.
“The South African Football Association (SAFA) would like to wish the four teams involved in the CAF Club Competition all the best as they will be flying the flag the of the country. As South Africans, it is encouraging to see so many teams involved in the competition as this will in turn help our national teams to do well in major tournaments,” said Safa CEO Dennis Mumble.
“We saw Orlando Pirates going all the way to the final last year only to fall on the last hurdle. Our wish as an Association is for all clubs to emulate Pirates and do even better by winning the trophy. The experience gained in the competition can only serve to make a stronger Bafana Bafana. Good luck to all the four clubs and we are confident they will make us proud.”
The draws for the 19th edition of the Orange CAF Champions League 2015 and the 12th Orange CAF Confederation Cup was conducted in Cairo in December last year.
A total of 58 clubs entered the Champions League draw with 56 in the Confederations Cup.
Source: Safa Media
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