Nigeria’s Rivers United face an uphill task as they have been drawn against defending champions, USM Alger in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup. USM Alger will be going into the encounter with intimidating profile as they are not just the defending champions, they also hold the CAF Super Cup after they defeated Al Ahly of Egypt, the winners of the Champions League.
The draw was done on Tuesday in Cairo. But the most intriguing pairing is the Egyptian derby of Zamalek and Future FC. Nigeria’s Dolphins which later merged with Sharks to form Rivers United were finalists in 2005 when they lost to Morocco’s Forces Armées Royales.
In the draw conducted on Tuesday, all four competition champions (USM Alger, RS Berkane, Stade Malien, RS Berkane) 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.
CAF Confederation Cup Quarter-Final Draw Outcome:
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.
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