Confederation Cup: Tunisian, Algerian, Moroccan sides progress

Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria all have two clubs who won through to the play-offs for the Confederation Cup.

There is still one tie to be decided after the second leg of Rivers United and South Africa's Bloemfontein Celtic did not go ahead on Wednesday in Nigeria as planned.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has written to the South African Football Association (Safa) to say it "will look into the matter and decide the way forward."

The Nigerian club hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg of the tie in South Africa.

"Celtic didn't travel to Nigeria after the Nigerian authorities insisted that the Bloemfontein-based club would not be given preferential treatment with regards to their strict Covid-19 protocols," Safa added in its statement.

"The procedures require all individuals visiting Nigeria from high risk areas to be quarantined for 7 days upon arrival in the country. South Africa is designated as one of the high-risk countries whose visitors are required to undergo this process."

"Celtic through Safa had written to both the Nigerian FA and government requesting for this requirement to be waivered. However, the Nigerian government turned down this request, forcing Safa to write to Caf for further guidance."

Three in the draw

Among those who did win through are holders Renaissance Berkane, who are joined by Tihad Casablanca along with Champions League losers Raja Casablanca in Friday's draw to make it three Moroccan clubs in the play-offs.

Tunisia will also have three sides in the draw with Etoile du Sahel and US Monastir winning through from the Confederation Cup and CS Sfaxien dropping down from the Champions League.

Algeria's Entente Setif made it through to the play-offs without kicking a ball in the last 32 while JS Kabylie progressed with a 4-1 aggregate win over Niger's US Gendarmerie Nationale.

Setif advanced after a wasted journey to Chad to play Renaissance in the first leg of their tie after the match was called off at the lost minute when the teams and match officials were denied access to the stadium that was due to host the match.

No official reason has been given for the locked stadium but it resulted in Renaissance being disqualified from the tournament.

Orlando Pirates had an easier than expected tie against Esperanca Sagrada after the Angolan side withdrew at the last minute ahead of their second leg in South Africa.

Former African champions Pirates had won the first leg 1-0 and a statement from the Caf did not give a reason behind Sagrada's withdrawal.

Uganda's KCCA narrowly missed out on advancing despite Rwanda's AS Kigali being awarded a 2-0 win for the first leg of the tie, which should have been played on 23 December.

AS Kigali were given the win after the Ugandan club were unable to name a squad of 15 players for the match after several of its squad tested positive for Covid-19.

KCCA managed to win the second leg 3-1 in Uganda but that was not enough as Kigali progressed on the away goals rule.

• Preliminary round second leg games in Confederation Cup

Confederation Cup last 32 winners: Entente Setif, JS Kabylie (both Algeria), Etoile du Sahel, US Monastir (both Tunisia), Renaissance Berkane (holders), Tihad Casablanca (both Morocco), Coton Sport (Cameroon), DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo), Jaraaf (Senegal), AS Kigali (Rwanda), Namungo (Tanzania), Napsa Stars (Zambia), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Pyramids (Egypt), Salitas (Burkina Faso) and either Rivers Utd (Nigeria) or Bloemfontein Celtic (South Africa)

Champions League last 32 losers: Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya), Bouenguidi (Gabon), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia), Enyimba (Nigeria), Gazelle (Chad), Gor Mahia (Kenya), Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana), Nkana (Zambia), Platinum (Zimbabwe), Primeiro Agosto (Angola), Racing Club Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Raja Casablanca (Morocco), Sonidep (Niger), Stade Malien (Mali), Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) and Asante Kotoko (Ghana)(TBC)

Confederation Cup results:

• Tevragh-Zeina (Mauritania) 0-0 Renaissance Berkane (Morocco, holders)
• Renaissance Berkane 2-0 Tevragh-Zeina
• Berkane progress 2-0 on aggregate

• Renaissance (Chad) c-c Entente Setif (Algeria)
• Renaissance disqualified Entente Setif progress

• Tihad Casablanca (Morocco) 4-0 ESAE (Benin)
• ESAE 1-1 Tihad Casablanca
• Tihad progress 5-1 on aggregate

• ASC Jaraaf (Senegal) 0-1 San Pedro (Ivory Coast)
• San Pedro 1-2 ASC Jaraaf
• 2-2 on aggregate Jaraaf progress on away goals rule

• US Monastir (Tunisia) 2-0 Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
• Al Ahly Tripoli 0-0 US Monastir
• US Monastir progress 2-0 on aggregate

• Namungo (Tanzania) 2-0 Al Hilal Obeid (Sudan)
• Al Hilal Obeid 3-3 Namungo
• Namungo progress 5-3 on aggregate

• AS Kigali (Rwanda) (2-0) KCCA (Uganda)(win awarded as KCCA unable to field 15 players)
• KCCA 3-1 AS Kigali
• 3-3 on aggregate AS Kigali win on away goals rule

• Bravos Maquis (Angola) 0-1 DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo)
• DC Motema Pembe 2-1 Bravos Maquis
• DC Motema Pembe progress 3-1 on aggregate

• Green Eagles (Zambia) 0-2 Coton Sport (Cameroon)
• Coton Sport 1-0 Green Eagles
• Coton Sport progress 3-0 on aggregate

• Bloemfontein Celtic (South Africa) 0-2 Rivers Utd (Nigeria)
• Rivers United p-p Bloemfontein Celtic
• Caf looking at this match

• US Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger) 1-2 JS Kabylie (Algeria)
• JS Kabylie 2-0 US Gendarmerie
• JS Kabylie progress 4-1 on aggregate

• Al Mokawloon Al Arab (Egypt) 0-0 Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
• Etoile du Sahel 2-1 Al Mokawloon Al Arab
• Etoile du Sahel progress 2-1 on aggregate

• Al Ittihad (Libya) 0-1 Pyramids (Egypt)
• Pyramids 3-2 Al Ittihad
• Pyramids progress 4-2 on aggregate

• Esperanca Sagrada (Angola) 0-1 Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
• Orlando Pirates c-c Esperanca Sagrada
• Orlando Pirates progress after Sagrada withdrew

• Napsa Stars (Zambia) 0-0 UD Songo (Mozambique)
• UD Songo 1-1 Napsa Stars
• 1-1 on aggregate Napsa Stars win on away goals rule

• Al Amal Atbara (Sudan) 0-1 Salitas (Burkina Faso)
• Salitas 2-0 Al Amal Atbara
• Salitas progress 3-0 on aggregate