MZANSI’S “big three” clubs in the Caf Confederation Cup – Bidvest Wits, SuperSport United and Platinum Stars – look to have secured easy-looking Last 16 ties.
The Clever Boys crashed out of the continent’s premier club competition, the Caf Champions League, losing 1-0 on aggregate to eight-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt at the weekend.
The Clever Boys will now compete in the Confederation Cup along with the other seven first round Champions League losers who have now been drawn against the remaining eight sides in the Confed Cup. The Last 16 draw was made in Cairo yesterday.
Wits get the chance to vent their anger against another Egyptian side in the second tier competition after drawing Smoutha, who are based in Borg el Arab, 25km west of Alexandria.
Wits play the first leg at home.
SuperSport play BYC of Liberia and Dikwena were paired with Ivory Coast’s AS Tanda. SA could have three clubs in the quarterfinal group stage of the competition for the first time.
But Wits are still disappointed at losing out in the Champions League.
Said head coach Gavin Hunt: “The Confed Cup is like a jungle. But we’ll give it a full go and try to win it.”
Wits’ veteran keeper Moeneeb Josephs said the focus was on winning the Absa Premiership this season: “Before we can start thinking about winning the Champions League or Confederation Cup we first have to become South African champions. That is where we are focusing and concentrating on.
“We learned a lot from these two games against Al Ahly. It was a great experience and you can see why they have been African champions eight times. They are a quality side.”
He added: “Let’s be real, the big prize was playing in the Champions League.
“Every footballer wants to play at the highest level and that is the Champions League. It is unfortunate we have to go down (to the Confed Cup) but we’ll use the experience gained against Al Ahly.”
