Orapa United, Galaxy Gear Up For CAF
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday September 7, 2020 12:45
The Top 8 has been used to select representatives since 2012.
This past week, CAF announced that registration of the continental cup competitions would resume on October 21 until November 19. Due to the incompletion of the Orange FA Cup caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, the BFA has resorted to the Top 8 champions rather than the national cup champions.
“There have not been changes. We will use the Mascom Top 8 champions to represent the country in the Champions Confederations Cup. So this means Jwaneng Galaxy and Orapa United will be the teams playing in the continental cups,” BFA public relations officer, Tumo Mpatane told Monitor Sport.
The Ostriches will play in the tournament for the third time in their short history. The team’s debut appearance ended in preliminary stages with a 4-2 aggregate defeat to Mbabane Swallows in Swaziland in 2017. In 2018, United were knocked out in the preliminary round of the competition again, falling 6-0 aggregate at the hands of Atletico Petroleos De Luanda of Angola. The team will represent the country alongside, league champions who will make their maiden appearance in the CAF Champions League.
Galaxy booked their ticket in the elite continental club competition after being crowned league champions in a cut short league season.
They played in the CAF Confederations Cup last season. Their journey was cut short in the preliminary stage with a 3-2 aggregate loss to Bolton City of Seychelles.
Galaxy are amongst at least 12 new faces in the Champions League. For the first time in four years, Township Rollers will miss continental club competitions. Popa remain the most successful team in the competitions after reaching the group stages of the Champions League in 2018.
The first leg of the preliminary round of the competitions will kick-off on November 20th until the 22nd, with the second part taking place a week later. The group stages will start in mid-February and the draw for knockout phase will take place at the end of April, with the matches set to start in mid-May.