In an exciting twist for the upcoming Total Energies CAF Champions League 2024/2025, the Nigeria Premier Football League champions, Rangers International F.C of Enugu, are set to face Comoros Islands’ league champions, Union Sportive Zilimadjou, in the first preliminary round. The elaborate draw ceremony took place at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter.
The Flying Antelopes will first travel to Moroni, the capital of the Comoros Islands, to play at the 14,000-capacity Baumer Stadium on either August 16, 17, or 18, 2024. The return leg is scheduled to be held in Nigeria a week later.
Union Sportive Zilimadjou, a club from the three-island nation formed in 1983, boasts an impressive record, having won the national league championship four times and the national cup competition three times. They will be relying heavily on their experienced forwards, 31-year-old Youssouf Mohamed and 29-year-old Mohamed Anoir Chamoune, to provide the goals. Meanwhile, their 30-year-old goalkeeper, Moussa Issihaka, will be tasked with keeping the Rangers at bay.
Rangers International F.C, having secured the 2023/2024 NPFL championship with a total of 70 points and 56 goals, are looking to carry their domestic success onto the continental stage. Their coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, also known as ‘The Building One,’ expressed respect for their opponents, stating, “No team is a small team on the continent anymore. We respect our opponent in the Total Energies CAF Champions League 2024/2025 preliminary round, U.S. Zilimadjou of Comoros. We shall give our preparations ahead of the encounter all the attention it deserves. Don’t forget that we are still building this team and we must be up and doing to ensure that we make an impact in the continental championship.”
With determination and strategic preparation, Rangers are poised to make their mark in the Total Energies CAF Champions League 2024/2025. The excitement is building as fans eagerly anticipate the clash between these two formidable teams.