Balloting for the group stage of the CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup competitions has attracted mixed reactions from Ghanaian football enthusiasts over the chances of Ghana’s representatives in the two competitions.
League champions, Medeama SC, and FA Cup winners, Dreams FC, are featuring for Ghana in the CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup, respectively.
In Friday’s draw, Medeama SC, making its maiden appearance at the group stage of the competition was drawn alongside11 times winners, Al Ahly of Egypt, CRBelouizdad of Algeria and Young Africans of Tanzania in Group D of the CAF Champions Leagues which had been described as the group of death.
Dreams FC, also making itsmaiden appearance in the CAF Confederations Cup was drawn in Group C, alongside Rivers United of Nigeria, Club Africain of Tunisia, and fellow debutants, Academica do Lobito of Angola.
Views sampled by theTimes Sports over the weekend, showed that Ghanaian fans were expectant though they admitted the task at stake was enormous.
Mr Francis Larbi, a dealer in automobiles at Kaneshie, told this paper that Medeama SC and Dreams FC need to show some kind of resilience and determination displayed at the preliminary round of matches.
Another fan, Mr Bismark Sowah, noted that it was important for both clubs to keep their best players and also bolster their squads in order to rub shoulders with their opponents.
Mr Solomon Mintah, a Teacher, was of the view that the qualification of both teams was an indication that the local league was not in shambles, and that the clubs had the players to compete at the continental stage.
He however cautioned both Medeama SC and Dreams FC not to get carried away by their performance during the preliminary round.
Contrary to the views shared by the expectant enthusiasts, Mr Patrick Lartey, an Electrician, said he did not expect both teams to qualify from their respective groups as they lacked the experience as compared to their opponents.
In his view, both teams do not stand any chance of qualifying based on Ghanaian clubs performance against North African clubs over the past years, especially when the Ghanaian clubs travel away.
Mr Paul Addae, a Civil Servant, noted that he has doubts over the chances of Medeama SC and Dreams FC to qualify from the group stages based on the standard of the local league.
The group stage matches of the CAF Champions League are scheduled to kick off on November 24 and end on Saturday March 2, 2024 while that of the Confederations Cup will commence on November 26 and end on March 3, 2024.
Medeama SC secured qualification to the group stage of the CAF Champions League after defeating Remo Stars of Nigeria 5-4 on penalties and Horoya FC of Guinea 4-3 on aggregate over two legs.
Dreams FC secured qualification to the group stage of the Confederations Cup after defeating both Milo FC of Guinea and Kallon FC of Sierra Leone, 3-2 on aggregate over two legs.
Berekum Chelsea was the last club to represent Ghana at the group stageof the CAF Champions League in 2012 were they finished third on nine points after being drawn in a group alongside Al Ahly and Zamalek, both of Egypt, as well as TP Mazembe of Democratic Republic of Congo.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
