The final qualifying stage of the 2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup got underway on Wednesday with fifteen of sixteen ties in the Playoff Round completing their first legs as the participants attempted to take a positive first step towards the CAFCC group stage. Defending champions RS Berkane of Morocco were in action but encountered plenty of resistance in Tunisia against US Monastir, losing 1-0 with a deficit to overcome in next week’s second leg back home.

TP Mazembe, champions of DR Congo and semifinalists in the CAFCC last season, utilized their famous home advantage in Lubumbashi to secure a 2-0 first leg victory over South Africa’s Royal AM with Ernest Luzolo Sita and Zambian veteran playmaker Rainford Kalaba scoring. Egypt’s Pyramids FC were stunned in Niger by a scrappy ASN Nigelec side with a headed goal off a free kick near the hour mark proving to be the winner.

Perhaps the most anticipated and intriguing matchup of the Playoff Round saw Tunisia’s Club Africain hold Tanzanian champions Young Africans SC to a scoreless draw in Dar es Salaam. Two North African sides set themselves up to finish the job at home in the second leg after Morocco’s ASFAR drew Djoliba 0-0 in Mali while Egyptian club Future FC played Primeiro de Agosto to a 1-1 draw in Angola.

Nigerian clubs did excellently at home against Libyan opposition with Rivers United thrashing Al Nasr 5-0 and Plateau United defeating Al Akhdar 4-1. ASEC Mimosas shutout Sporting Gagnoa at home in an all-Ivorian matchup and clubs from DR Congo were undefeated with DC Motema Pembe and St. Eloi Lupopo joining TP Mazembe as victors on the road against Burundi’s Flambeau du Centre and Rail Club du Kadiogo of Burkina Faso respectively. Cape Town City failed to defeat Algeria’s USM Alger in a 0-0 draw at home and fellow South African club Marumo Gallants fell 1-0 to Al Ahli Tripoli in Libya.

All the scores from Wednesday are below followed by highlights from several of the first leg matchups.

Flambeau du Centre (Burundi) 0-2 DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo)

TP Mazembe (DR Congo) 2-0 Royal AM (S. Africa)

Young Africans (Tanzania) 0-0 Club Africain (Tunisia)

Royal Leopards (Eswatini) 1-1 Real Bamako (Mali)

Rivers United (Nigeria) 5-0 Al Nasr (Libya)

RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) 0-1 St. Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo)

Plateau United (Nigeria) 4-1 Al Akhdar (Libya)

Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) 1-1 Future FC (Egypt)

Djoliba (Mali) 0-0 ASFAR (Morocco)

ASKO Kara (Togo) 2-1 CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)

ASN Nigelec (Niger) 1-0 Pyramids FC (Egypt)

ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) 2-0 Sporting Gagnoa (Ivory Coast)

Cape Town City (S. Africa) 0-0 USM Alger (Algeria)

US Monastir (Tunisia) 1-0 RS Berkane (Morocco)

Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) 1-0 Marumo Gallants (S. Africa)

Young Africans 0-0 Club Africain

US Monastir 1-0 RS Berkane

ASKO Kara 2-1 CS Sfaxien