SANUSI, ONEYA ON DUTY AS CONTINENTAL CLUBS BATTLE FOR GLORY

ABUJA, Nigeria – Former NFF President, General Dominic Obukadata Oneya (rtd) and incumbent NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi are the Nigerian officials on duty as this year’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup competitions begin this weekend.

Sanusi will be match commissioner for the CAF Confederation Cup first round, first leg match between Bechem United of Ghana and Mouloudia Club D’Alger of Algeria, scheduled for the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi on Sunday, 12th February 2017.

Oneya, who presided over the affairs of Nigerian Football between January 2000 – October 2002, will serve as match commissioner for the CAF Champions League clash between FC Johansen of Sierra Leone and Fath Union Sport (FUS) of Morocco, taking place in Freetown on Saturday.

Nigerian referees are not in action this weekend, but two sets have been designated to handle first round, second leg matches coming up next weekend. Quadri Adebimpe, who got plaudits for his handling of the men’s final of last year’s Federation Cup competition, will lead Samuel Pwadutakam, Isah Usman and Abubakar Ago for the Champions League tie between AS FAN of Niger Republic and AS de Tanda of Cote d’Ivoire in Niamey.

Abdullahi Shuaibu will be at the head of the second team that includes Efosa Igudia, Tejiri Digbori and Benjamin Odey, who will officiate the Confederation Cup match between Racing de Micomiseng of Equatorial Guinea and Etoile du Congo in Malabo.

Meanwhile, three of Nigeria’s representative teams are also on the road with Enugu Rangers already in Algeria, Rivers United arriving in Bamako, Mali on Thursday afternoon and Wikki Tourists set to land in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Saturday morning.

NPFL champions Rangers will take on JS Saoura of Algeria on Friday, while Rivers United will confront AS Real de Bamako on Saturday, in the CAF Champions League. In the CAF Confederation Cup, Wikki Tourists will tackle Royal Armed Forces of Sierra Leone on Sunday, and FC IfeanyiUbah (the only team playing at home) will battle Al Masry of Egypt at the Ifeanyi Ubah International Stadium, Nnewi on Sunday.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (FIXTURES)
RCK Kadiogo (BFA) Vs Diable Noirs (Congo)
Sony de Ela Nguema (Eq Guinea) Vs Al Merreikh (Sudan)
AS Real Bamako (Mali) Vs Rivers United (Nigeria)
AS Tanda (CIV) Vs AS FAN (Niger)
US Goree (Senegal) Vs Horoya (Guinea)
FC Johansen (Sierra Leone) Vs FUS Rabat (Morocco)
Wa All Stars (Ghana) Vs Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
KCCA (Uganda) Vs CD Agosto (Angola)
CF Mounana (Gabon) Vs Vital’O (Burundi)
Zanaco FC (Zambia) Vs APR FC (Rwanda)
Ngaya de MDE (Comoros) Vs Young Africans (Tanzania)
Barrack Young Controller (Liberia) Vs Stade Malien (Mali)
Zimamoto (Zanzibar) Vs CF Beira (Mozambique)
JS Saoura (Algeria) Vs Rangers International (Nigeria)
Royal Leopards (Swaziland) Vs AS Vita Club (DRC)
Ports Authority (Gambia) Vs Sewe Sport (CIV)
CNaPS (Madagascar) Vs Township Rollers (Botswana)
Coton Sport (Cameroon) Vs Atlabara (South Sudan)
AS Louisienne (Reunion) Vs Bidvest Wits (South Africa)
Lioli FC (Lesotho) Vs Caps United (Zimbabwe)
Cote d’Or (Seychelles) Vs Saint George (Ethiopia)
AC Leopards Dolisie (Congo) Vs UMS de Loum (Cameroon)
Tusker FC (Kenya) Vs Port Louis 2000 (Mauritius)

CAF CONFEDERATION CUP (FIXTURES)
Club Breweries (Liberia) Vs JS Kabylie (Algeria)
Etoile du Congo (Congo) Vs Racing de Micomiseng (Eq Guinea)
FC IfeanyiUbah (Nigeria) Vs Al Masry (Egypt)
Defence FC (Ethiopia) Vs Academy de Bamenda (Cameroon)
AS Douanes (Niger) Vs Ittihad de Tanger (Morocco)
Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) vs SuperSport United (South Africa)
Akanda FC (Gabon) Vs Renaissance du Congo (DRC)
Bechem United (Ghana) Vs Mouloudia D’Alger (Algeria)
Royal Armed Forces (Sierra Leone) Vs Wikki Tourists (Nigeria)
Platinum Stars (South Africa) Vs Desportiva Songo (Mozambique)
Vipers SC (Uganda) Vs Volcan de Moroni (Comoros)
Orapa United (Botswana) Vs Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)
KVZ (Zanzibar) Vs Messager de Ngozi (Burundi)
Apejes de Mfou (Cameroon) Vs Tally de Dakar (Senegal)
Al Salam Wau (South Sudan) Vs Rayon Sports (Rwanda)
AS Sonabel (BFA) Vs SC de Gagnoa (CIV)
MAS de Fes (Morocco) Vs CAR Aiglons (Congo)
Pamplemousses SC (Mauritius) Vs Ngezi Platinum Stars (Zimbabwe)
Al Hilal Elobied (Sudan) Vs St Michel United (Seychelles)
El Hilal (Libya) Vs Ulinzi Stars (Kenya)