How do you rate this season’s CAF Champions League Group Stage? Petro Luanda and ASEC Mimosas positively surprised everyone. Al Ahly and Sundowns did what was expected of them. Esperance and Simba had fantastic comebacks in the quarterfinals race. Yanga and TP Mazembe overcame their more fancied competitors to reach the last eight.
So, which is the team to fear ahead of the CAFCL quarterfinal draw? Check out our power ranking and find out:
8. TP Mazembe
TP Mazembe does have things going on for them. So far, they are the only team to have beaten Sundowns. They also did well to outdo Pyramids FC and finish second in Group A. What worries me is their away form. TP Mazembe didn’t score a single goal away from home in the group stage – something they carried over from the African Football League. It speaks to a limitation of the squad and that doesn’t bode well for their title chances.
7. Simba SC
Simba’s continental experience and home form ultimately came to their rescue after they started the group stage badly. But let’s not forget that their qualification ultimately came down to Wydad’s shock home loss to Jwaneng Galaxy. We’ve just not seen an imposing Simba regardless of that routing of Jwaneng on the last matchday. They will be praying for a good draw – what with Al Ahly and Sundowns being two of the three teams they can play.
6. Esperance Tunis
Esperance Tunis has a tradition of finishing first in the CAFCL group stage. It didn’t happen this time but they still managed to advance to the last eight as expected. Esperance did struggle to achieve this. They suffered a loss to Al Hilal and failed to score in two matches against Petro Luanda. Taraji may have rectified the course by hiring a new coach but we’ve not been impressed outside of their wins against Etoile Sahel.
5. ASEC Mimosas
This is a good year for Ivory Coast, no? ASEC Mimosas won Group B with a game to spare. This would usually single a team out for title contender status. But on closer scrutiny, you feel that they succeeded in what turned out to be the weakest group. I don’t want to start a war but Simba, Wydad and Jwaneng were very hit or miss in this campaign. Let’s not take much away from ASEC Mimosas. The team has earned that quarterfinal second leg at home.
4. Yanga
Yanga built some pedigree by reaching the final of the CAF Confederation Cup last season. Typically, this doesn’t translate well in the Champions League. And it did look like things would play out that way when Yanga lost their opening match 3-0 to CR Belouizdad. Credit to them for the comeback by playing well, playing Ahly close and that historic home win over CR Belouizdad. Despite their shaky away form you have to think that they are the runner-up to avoid on that quarterfinal draw.
3. Al Ahly
Al Ahly didn’t particularly impress in the group stage but they were never in trouble either. We’re already used to the two versions of Al Ahly. There’s the group stage team that looks beatable and then there’s the knockout Al Ahly that you don’t want to face. I’m sure they are licking their lips at the prospect of getting to whip Esperance again – in Rades. Haha. On a serious note, their signing of Omar Kamal and Wessam Abou Ali makes them really strong.
2. Petro Luanda
Surprise! Petro Luanda didn’t concede a goal in the group stage. This team is also one of the two that didn’t lose a match in the group stage. They did it by playing in Rades twice. Knockout will be a different ball game considering their CAFCL inexperience and lack of goals. We’ve seen teams shine in the group stage but fail in the business end of the competition (cough cough, Sundowns). But all the runner-up teams should look beatable to Petro Luanda.
1. Sundowns
Sundowns is still riding the high of the African Football League win. They had a few hiccups against Pyramids FC and TP Mazembe but never had to get off second gear to secure their four wins in Group A. Their depth, playing style and ability to get wins away from home make them the team to avoid in the quarterfinal draw.
CAF Observer 