Gor face Vegetarianos in CAF preliminary round

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia FC will start their 2018 CAF-Champions League campaign against champions of Equatorial Guinea, Leones Vegetarianos.

Gor’s counterparts and the 2017 GOtv-Shield winners, AFC Leopards, and Fosa Juniors , who won the Madagascar Cup will face-off in the preliminary round of the CAF-Confederation Cup, according to the fixtures list published on Wednesday by the continental football body.

The CAF Interclubs Committee met at the continental body’s headquarters in the Egyptian capital Cairo to conduct the draw where 54 clubs were drawn for the CAF CL and 44 drawn for the CAF CC.

Gor who last featured in the continent’s premier club competition in 2016 will play either ASAC Concorde of Mauritania or Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) of Tunisia in the first round should they knock out Vegetarianos.

On the other hand, Leopards could face Ngazi Sport of Comoros or AS Port-Louis (ASPL) 2000 should they advance beyond the preliminary stage.

The Kenyan clubs will be hoping to overcome past failings in the competition with no side reaching the group stages in recent memory.

The last time a Kenyan side stirred hope was in 2011 when Sofapaka sailed to the third round of the Confed Cup.

Clubs from Cape Verde, Chad, Eritrea, Namibia, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone and Somalia will not be part of the competition after their national federations failed to engage organizers CAF.

Draw for 2018 CAF Champions League preliminary and first rounds:

Preliminary round

Saint George (ETH) v Wau Salaam (SSD)

CNaPS Sport (MAD) v KCCA (UGA)

Zanaco (ZAM) v Armed Forces (GAM)

Bantu (LES) v Mbabane Swallows (SWZ)

Stade Malien (MLI) v Williamsville (CIV)

Al Tahaddy (LBA) v Aduana Stars (GHA)

Entente Setif (ALG) v Olympic Real Bangui (CAR)

Kadiogo (BUR) v Mounana (GAB)

Real Bamako (MLI) v MFM (NGR)

Otoho (CGO) v Mouloudia Alger (ALG)

AS FAN (NIG) v Horoya (GUI)

Generation Foot (SEN) v Misr Lel-Makkasa (EGY)

Young Africans (TAN) v Saint Louis (SEY)

Township Rollers (BOT) v Al Merrikh (SUD)

Gor Mahia (KEN) v Leones Vegetarianos (GEQ)

Concorde (MTN) v Esperance (TUN)

Plateau Utd (NGR) v Eding Sport (CMR)

Leopards (CGO) v Port (TOG)

LISCR (LBR) v Al Hilal (SUD)

JKU (ZAN) v Zesco Utd (ZAM)

Benin champions v ASEC Mimosas (CIV)

Ngaya (COM) v Songo (MOZ)

Difaa el Jadidi (MAR) v Benfica (GNB)

V Club (COD) v Mighty Wanderers (MAW)

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Platinum (ZIM)

Wits (RSA) v Pamplemousses (MRI)

Rayon Sports (RWA) v LLB Academic (BDI)

First legs: Feb 9–11, second: Feb 16–18

First round

George/Wau v CNaPS/KCCA

Zanaco/Forces v Bantu/Swallows

Wydad Casablanca (MAR, holders) v Malien/Williamsville

Tahaddy/Aduana v Setif/Bangui

Al Ahly (EGY) v Kadiogo/Mounana

Bamako/MFM v Otoho/Alger

FAN/Horoya v Generation/Makkasa

Young Africans/Louis v Rollers/Merrikh

Gor/Leones v Concorde/Esperance

Etoile Sahel (TUN) v Plateau/Eding

Leopards/Port v LISCR/Hilal

JKU/Zesco v Benin/ASEC

TP Mazembe (COD) v Ngaya/Songo

Jadidi/Benfica v V Club/Wanderers

Primeiro/Platinum v Wits/Pamplemousses

Rayon/Academic v Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)

First legs: Mar 9-11, second: Mar 16-18

Note: first round winners qualify for Champions League group stage and first round losers enter CAF Confederation Cup