Confederation Cup league starts next weekend

Accra, July 26, GNA - The league stage of the novelty confederations Cup Competition kick-starts in the first week of August.

A message from the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) copied to the GNA Sports on Monday said the first matches of the two-group league has been scheduled for Friday, August 6 through to Sunday August 8. Winners in each group at the end of the league system on September 24, clash in the grand finale on a home and away basis.

The first leg of the finals has been fixed between November 27 and 29 and the second leg, a fortnight time.

Sudanese club Al Hilal which kicked out Ghana's third representative Liberty Professionals at the final eliminator stage is paired along side Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Petro Athletico Club of Angola and Enugu Rangers of Nigeria in group A, while Accra Hearts of Oak are in group B together with Cotton Sport of Cameroon, Orlando Pirates and Santos Club both of South Africa.

However, the two Ghanaian clubs, Kotoko and Hearts would miss the services of some key players currently on a training tour with the country's Olympic soccer team, the Black Meteors in Portugal ahead of Athens games.

Kotoko's two top goalkeepers, George Owu and Mohamed Alhassan plus playmaker Charles Taylor, Yussif Chibsah and William Tierro and Hearts' Daniel Coleman are important ingredients in the Ghana's Olympic team. The players were very instrumental in the qualification of the two clubs to the league zone and their absence will be greatly felt.