Semis add spice to Champions League

Al-Ahly in action against Hearts of Oak.

The introduction of a semi final stage to this year's African Champions League should make the competition the most interesting in its four-year history.

The top two finishers in each group will go through to the last four in November.

Football correspondent Durosimi Thomas welcomed this innovation saying it would keep interest alive until the last mini-league games are played.

"In the past three editions of the competition there was little interest in the last round of matches because the finalists had already been determined.

"Now there will excitement until the end of the competition. It will also give teams who've got off to slow starts a chance to recover," said Thomas.

TP Mazembe

While many expect the top two seeds in each group, Esperance and Sundowns in Group A and ASEC and Al Ahly in Group B to progress to the semi finals, Thomas warned that TP Mazembe from the DRC could cause an upset in group A.

"I was impressed with them while watching them eliminate former champions Raja Casablanca in Morocco. The other teams in the group should be careful of them.

TP Mazembe open their campaign with a home game against Nigeria's Julius Berger on Sunday.

In the other Group A fixture, Sundowns of South Africa will be hoping to take revenge against last season's beaten finalists Esperance of Tunisia when they meet in Pretoria on Saturday.

The Tunisians reached the final after pipping Sundowns on goal difference.

Tough time

In Group B ASEC of the Ivory Coast and Al Ahly of Egypt are the seeded teams but they could face a tough time.

"Petro Atletico of Angola are capable of causing an upset. They have quite a few players who represented Angola in the World Youth Championships in Argentina."

The Angolans host Al Ahly in Luanda on Sunday. The team voted by Caf as their "team of the century" are confident of redeeming themselves after last season's failure in the Champions League.

New coach

"They have a new, experienced coach in Emmanuel de Silva from Portugal. The team has already played three friendlies in Portugal in preparation for the Champions League," said former Egyptian and Al Ahly goalkeeper Ahmed Shoubeir.

"They have also spent about $2.6 million on buying new players including former Egyptian internationals Hady Kashaba and Samir Kamouna.

"In addition, they also have six players from the Egyptian under-20 side that reached the semi final of the World Youth Championships in Argentina," Shoubeir added.

In the remaining fixture, Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria entertain ASEC.