Femi Solaja
Nigeria’s last Team in continental campaign this season, Rivers United, were on Tuesday in Cairo Egypt drawn against defending champions, Algeria’s USM Alger in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Algerian side are not just CAF Confederation Cup champions, they also
hold the CAF Super Cup after they defeated Al Ahly of Egypt, the winners of the Champions League.
However, the Port Harcourt side are no strangers to North African opponents in the competition. As Dolphins, before merging with Sharks to form Rivers United, they were finalists in 2005 when they lost to Morocco’s Forces Armées Royales (FAR).
But the most intriguing pairing is the Egyptian derby of Zamalek and Future FC.
In the draw conducted on Tuesday, all four competition champions (USM Alger, RS Berkane, Stade Malien, Zamalek) avoided each other in the quarter-finals.
One of the quarter-finals pitches Libya’s Abu Salem against two-time champions, RS Berkane of Morocco who are in search of a third continental title since their 2020 and 2022 triumphs.
Champions in the 2009 edition, Stade Malien are back in the knockout stages of the competition and are aiming for a second title when they face Ghana’s Dreams FC who will be looking at causing an upset against their more fancied opponent.
Quarter-Final Draw:
29 – 31 March 2024:
QF 1 | Modern Future (EGY) vs Zamalek (EGY)
QF 2 | Abu Salem (LBY) vs RS Berkane (MAR)
QF 3 | Rivers United (NGR) vs USM Alger (ALG)
QF 4 | Stade Malien (MLI) vs Dreams FC (GHA)
05 – 07 April 2024:
QF 1 | Zamalek (EGY) vs Modern Future (EGY)
QF 2 | RS Berkane (MAR) vs Abu Salem (LBY)
QF 3 | USM Alger (ALG) vs Rivers United (NGR)
QF 4 | Dreams FC (GHA) vs Stade Malien (MLI)
Semi-Final Draw Outcome:
QF 3 Winner vs QF 2 Winner
QF 1 Winner vs QF 4 Winner
Semi-Finals Dates to be communicated in due course.
