The 2023-24 CAF Confederation Cup commenced with its first qualifying round over the weekend along with the Champions League and was an opportunity for a couple of rising clubs in African football to make their first impressions. Moroccan club FUS Rabat and Tanzania’s Singida Fountain Gate were the teams who took advantage of weaker opposition to establish themselves as clubs to watch this season with strong first leg performances.

Singida Fountain Gate got off to a poor start in the Tanzanian Community Shield but several new signings performed well against minnows JKU of Zanzibar. Togolese playmaker Marouf Tchakei scored twice from the penalty spot before former Rivers United midfielder Morice Chukwu and Kenyan attacker Duke Abuya found the net in a 4-1 drubbing. Experienced Dutch coach Hans van der Pluijm was not happy with conceding in the second half but has a very talented side that is capable of a deep run in continental competition.

FUS Rabat have a three-goal lead to take to Benin after a 3-0 first leg victory over Loto-Popo FC. 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) winner Ayoub Nanah was among the scorers for FUS who have big ambitions in the CAFCC. FUS and Singida were joined by Djiboutian club AS Arta and Malian giants Stade Malien as teams who won their first leg matches by multiple goals. Nigeria’s Bendel Insurance defeated North African competition with a 1-0 victory in Benin City over Algerian cup champions ASO Chlef.

Among the surprising results was Senegalese club Casa Sports being forced to settle for a draw, missing a penalty kick in the last minute in their first leg match against Burkinabe cup champions Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou. Libyan clubs did well with Al-Hilal Benghazi holding Kenya’s Kakamega Homeboyz to a 0-0 draw in Nairobi while Abu Salim SC surprised Tunisia’s Olympique Béja with a 1-0 victory to take an advantage back to Libya.

All the scores from the first legs of the first round matches are below followed by highlights from several games.

First Leg Results

Singida Fountain Gate (Tanzania) 4-1 JKU SC (Zanzibar)

Kakamega Homeboyz (Kenya) 0-0 Al-Hilal Benghazi (Libya)

Haidoub FC (Sudan) 0-1 Al-Merrikh Juba (South Sudan)

AS Arta (Djibouti) 3-0 Horseed (Somalia)

Gaborone United (Botswana) 0-1 Elgeco Plus (Madagascar)

Cano Sport (Eq. Guinea) 1-1 MUZA FC (Zambia)

Bendel Insurance (Nigeria) 1-0 ASO Chlef (Algeria)

Milo FC (Guinea) 1-1 Dreams FC (Ghana)

ASC Kara (Togo) 0-0 AFAD Djékanou (Ivory Coast)

AS Douanes (Mauritania) 2-2 Académie SOAR (Guinea)

Bahir Dar Kenema (Ethiopia) 2-1 Azam FC (Tanzania)

Académica do Lobito (Angola) 2-1 La Passe (Seychelles)

Olympique Béja (Tunisia) 0-1 Abu Salim SC (Libya)

Watanga FC (Liberia) 1-3 Stade Malien (Mali)

Casa Sports (Senegal) 1-1 Étoile Filante (Burkina Faso)

FUS Rabat (Morocco) 3-0 Loto-Popo FC (Benin)

Aigle Noir (Burundi) advances after Hay Al-Arab (Sudan) forfeits

Sekhukhune United (S. Africa) advances after Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) forfeits

Ferroviário de Maputo (Mozambique) advances after Belle Lumière (Comoros) forfeits

AS Douanes (Niger) v Kallon FC (S. Leone)

First leg will be played on August 25

Singida Fountain Gate 4-1 JKU SC

FUS Rabat 3-0 Loto-Popo FC

Bendel Insurance 1-0 ASO Chlef