Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Africa’s blue-riband club competition, the CAF Champions League will return this weekend with a blockbuster Match-day 1 as Cup holders, Pyramids of Egypt host Rivers United of Nigeria in the headline fixture of Group A in Cairo.

It will be good news for Rivers United coached by former Nigerian international, Finidi George, as Pyramids will be without three key players like Ramadan Sobhi, Osama Galal and Mostafa Fathi.

However, Krunoslav Jurčić’s Pyramids  are buoyed by a Super Cup win and a rising spine built around goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shenawy, Walid El Karti and striker Fiston Mayele. Expectations remains high after last season’s title. 

Rivers on the other hand will make the trip with defensive sting and renewed attacking intent.

Finidi is happy with Pride of Rivers’ return to winning ways in the domestic topflight league and will want to carry the enthusiasm into this continental group stage.

“I’m quite happy that we have scored two; maybe by the next game, we can score three… Let’s take it one game at a time. We just have to enjoy this now and focus on Pyramids,”  Finidi George mouthed after a morale-lifting league win at the weekend.

Of course, there are other mouthwatering fixtures like Egypt’s Al Ahly welcoming JS Kabylie of Algeria while Mamelodi Sundowns meet  giant-killers St Éloi Lupopo of DR Congo.

Sudan’s Al-Hilal will face MC Alger of Algeria while Espérance of Tunisia launch battle against Stade Malien.

The opening round will set the tone before the competition pauses for AFCON in December/January.

TODAY

Al-Hilal v MC Alger

SATURDAY 

Sundowns v St. Éloi Lupopo

Y’Africans v AS FAR

Al Ahly v JS Kabylie 

Espérance v Stade Malien

RS Berkane v Power Dynamos

Pyramids v Rivers Utd

SUNDAY

Simba v Petro Atletico