2015 CAF Champions League

The 2015 CAF Champions League (officially the 2015 Orange CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 51st edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 19th edition under the current CAF Champions League format. The winner qualified for the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, and earned the right to play in the 2016 CAF Super Cup.[1]

2015 CAF Champions League
2015 Orange CAF Champions League
Tournament details
Dates13 February – 8 November 2015
Teams57 (from 44 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsDemocratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe (5th title)
Runners-upAlgeria USM Alger
Tournament statistics
Matches played126
Goals scored268 (2.13 per match)
Top scorer(s)Sudan Bakri Al-Madina
Tanzania Mbwana Samatta
(7 goals each)

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo won the competition for the fifth time in their history after a 4–1 aggregate victory over USM Alger of Algeria in the final.[2] ES Sétif were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the group stage.

Association team allocation

All 56 CAF member associations may enter the CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to their CAF 5-year ranking eligible to enter two teams in the competition. The title holders can also enter.[1] As a result, theoretically a maximum of 69 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

For the 2015 CAF Champions League, the CAF uses the 2009–2013 CAF 5-year ranking, which calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over those 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. The criteria for points are the following:[3]

CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup
Winner 5 points 4 points
Runner-up 4 points 3 points
Losing semi-finalists 3 points 2 points
3rd place in groups 2 points 1 point
4th place in groups 1 point 1 point

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows:

  • 2013 – 5
  • 2012 – 4
  • 2011 – 3
  • 2010 – 2
  • 2009 – 1

Teams

The following 57 teams from 44 associations entered the competition.

Teams in bold received a bye to the first round. The other teams entered the preliminary round.

Associations are shown according to their 2009–2013 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated.[4]

Association Team Qualifying method
Associations eligible to enter two teams (Ranked 1–12)
Tunisia Tunisia
(1st – 106 pts)		 Espérance de Tunis 2013–14 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champion
CS Sfaxien 2013–14 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up
Egypt Egypt
(2nd – 80 pts)		 Al-Ahly 2013–14 Egyptian Premier League champion
Smouha 2013–14 Egyptian Premier League runner-up
Democratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo
(3rd – 46 pts)		 TP Mazembe 2013–14 Linafoot champion
SM Sanga Balende 2013–14 Linafoot runner-up
Morocco Morocco
(4th – 44 pts)		 Moghreb Tétouan 2013–14 Botola champion
Raja Casablanca 2013–14 Botola runner-up
Nigeria Nigeria
(5th – 41 pts)		 Kano Pillars 2014 Nigeria Professional Football League champion
Enyimba 2014 Nigeria Professional Football League runner-up
Sudan Sudan
(6th – 37 pts)		 Al-Hilal 2014 Sudan Premier League champion
Al-Merrikh 2014 Sudan Premier League runner-up
Algeria Algeria
(T-7th – 32 pts)		 USM Alger 2013–14 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champion
ES Sétif Title holders (2014 CAF Champions League winner)
2013–14 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 third place
MC El Eulma 2013–14 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 fourth place[Note ALG]
Mali Mali
(T-7th – 32 pts)		 Stade Malien 2013–14 Malian Première Division champion
Club Olympique de Bamako 2013–14 Malian Première Division runner-up
Cameroon Cameroon
(T-9th – 21 pts)		 Coton Sport 2014 Elite One champion
Cosmos de Bafia 2014 Elite One runner-up
Republic of the Congo Congo
(T-9th – 21 pts)		 AC Léopards 2014 Congo Premier League first place before abandoned
Diables Noirs 2014 Congo Premier League second place before abandoned
South Africa South Africa
(11th – 20 pts)		 Mamelodi Sundowns 2013–14 South African Premier Division champion
Kaizer Chiefs 2013–14 South African Premier Division runner-up
Angola Angola
(12th – 17 pts)		 Recreativo do Libolo 2014 Girabola champion
Kabuscorp 2014 Girabola runner-up
Associations eligible to enter one team
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast
(13th – 13 pts)		 Séwé Sport 2013–14 Côte d'Ivoire Ligue 1 champion
Ghana Ghana
(14th – 8 pts)		 Asante Kotoko 2013–14 Ghanaian Premier League champion
Ethiopia Ethiopia
(15th – 5 pts)		 Saint George 2013–14 Ethiopian Premier League champion
Libya Libya
(T-16th – 4 pts)		 Al-Ahli Tripoli 2013–14 Libyan Premier League champion
Zambia Zambia
(T-16th – 4 pts)		 ZESCO United 2014 Zambian Premier League champion
Niger Niger
(19th – 2 pts)		 AS GNN 2013–14 Niger Premier League champion
Benin Benin Buffles du Borgou 2013–14 Benin Premier League champion
Botswana Botswana Township Rollers 2013–14 Botswana Premier League champion
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Étoile Filante 2013–14 Burkinabé Premier League champion
Burundi Burundi LLB Académic 2013–14 Burundi Premier League champion
Chad Chad Foullah Edifice 2014 Ligue de N'Djaména champion
Comoros Comoros Fomboni Club 2014 Comoros Premier League champion
Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea Sony Elá Nguema 2014 Equatoguinean Premier League champion
Gabon Gabon AS Mangasport 2013–14 Gabon Championnat National D1 champion
The Gambia Gambia Real Banjul 2014 GFA League First Division champion[Note GAM]
Guinea Guinea AS Kaloum 2013–14 Guinée Championnat National champion
Kenya Kenya Gor Mahia 2014 Kenyan Premier League champion
Lesotho Lesotho Bantu 2013–14 Lesotho Premier League champion
Liberia Liberia Barrack Young Controllers 2013–14 Liberian First Division League champion
Madagascar Madagascar CNaPS Sport 2014 THB Champions League champion
Malawi Malawi Big Bullets 2014 Super League of Malawi champion
Mozambique Mozambique Liga Muçulmana 2014 Moçambola champion
Rwanda Rwanda APR 2013–14 Rwanda National Football League champion
Senegal Senegal AS Pikine 2013–14 Senegal Premier League champion
Seychelles Seychelles St Michel United 2014 Seychelles First Division champion
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone East End Lions 2014 Sierra Leone National Premier League first place before abandoned
South Sudan South Sudan Al-Malakia 2014 South Sudan National Cup winner
Eswatini Swaziland Mbabane Swallows 2013–14 Swazi Premier League runner-up
Tanzania Tanzania Azam 2013–14 Tanzanian Premier League champion
Togo Togo AC Semassi 2014 Togolese Championnat National champion
Uganda Uganda Kampala City Council 2013–14 Uganda Super League champion
Zanzibar Zanzibar KMKM 2013–14 Zanzibar Premier League champion
Associations which did not enter a team
Notes
  1. ^
    Algeria (ALG): JS Kabylie, the 2013–14 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up, was suspended by the CAF for two years due to the death of Albert Ebossé during their league home match against USM Alger.[5][6] On 11 February 2015, the CAS overturned the suspension.[7] However, their replacement MC El Eulma continued to represent Algeria in the 2015 CAF Champions League.
  2. ^
    Gambia (GAM): Gambia were originally not able to enter a team after the association was suspended from all CAF competitions for two years for deliberately fielding overage players in the 2015 African U-20 Championship qualification match against Liberia,[8][9][10] but the ban was lifted by the CAF following new election of the Gambia Football Association.[11]

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows (all draws are held at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt).[12]

Phase Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Qualifying Preliminary round 22 December 2014[13] 13–15 February 2015 27 February–1 March 2015
First round 13–15 March 2015 3–5 April 2015
Second round 17–19 April 2015 1–3 May 2015
Group stage Matchday 1 5 May 2015[14] 26–28 June 2015
Matchday 2 10–12 July 2015
Matchday 3 24–26 July 2015
Matchday 4 7–9 August 2015
Matchday 5 21–23 August 2015
Matchday 6 11–13 September 2015
Knockout stage Semi-finals 25–27 September 2015 2–4 October 2015
Final 30 October–1 November 2015 6–8 November 2015

Qualifying rounds
Main article: 2015 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds

The draw for the preliminary, first and second qualifying rounds was held on 22 December 2014.[15]

Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still level, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (no extra time would be played).[1]

Preliminary round
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Mbabane Swallows Eswatini 1–2 Zambia ZESCO United 1–1 0–1
Séwé Sport Ivory Coast 2–3 Guinea AS Kaloum 1–2 1–1
USM Alger Algeria 4–3 Chad Foullah Edifice 3–0 1–3
AS Pikine Senegal 1–0 Burkina Faso Étoile Filante 1–0 0–0
Al-Hilal Sudan 2–1 Zanzibar KMKM 2–0 0–1
Fomboni Club Comoros 2–3 Malawi Big Bullets 0–1 2–2
Recreativo do Libolo Angola 3–3 (a) Democratic Republic of the Congo SM Sanga Balende 3–1 0–2
Kampala City Council Uganda 1–3 Cameroon Cosmos de Bafia 1–0 0–3
Azam Tanzania 2–3 Sudan Al-Merrikh 2–0 0–3
LLB Académic Burundi 0–1 Angola Kabuscorp 0–0 0–1
Sony Elá Nguema Equatorial Guinea 1–2 Togo AC Semassi 1–1 0–1
MC El Eulma Algeria 2–2 (a) Ethiopia Saint George 1–0 1–2
East End Lions Sierra Leone w/o[A] Ghana Asante Kotoko — —
Enyimba Nigeria 4–0 Benin Buffles du Borgou 3–0 1–0
Al-Ahli Tripoli Libya 1–1 (3–5 p) Egypt Smouha 1–0 0–1
Gor Mahia Kenya 3–3 (a) Madagascar CNaPS Sport 1–0 2–3
Liga Muçulmana Mozambique 1–2 Rwanda APR 0–0 1–2
Club Olympique de Bamako Mali 2–3 Morocco Moghreb Tétouan 2–0 0–3
Al-Malakia South Sudan 0–5 Nigeria Kano Pillars 0–2 0–3
Real Banjul The Gambia 2–1 Liberia Barrack Young Controllers 1–1 1–0
Kaizer Chiefs South Africa 3–1 Botswana Township Rollers 2–1 1–0
Raja Casablanca Morocco 6–2 Republic of the Congo Diables Noirs 4–0 2–2
St Michel United Seychelles 1–4 South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 1–1 0–3
AS Mangasport Gabon 1–0 Lesotho Bantu 1–0 0–0
Stade Malien Mali 1–1 (a) Niger AS GNN 0–0 1–1
Notes
  1. ^
    Asante Kotoko won on walkover after East End Lions withdrew.[16]

First round
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ZESCO United Zambia 2–2 (4–5 p) Guinea AS Kaloum 1–1 1–1
USM Alger Algeria 6–2 Senegal AS Pikine 5–1 1–1
Al-Hilal Sudan 5–1 Malawi Big Bullets 4–0 1–1
Coton Sport Cameroon 0–2 Democratic Republic of the Congo SM Sanga Balende 0–0 0–2
Cosmos de Bafia Cameroon 1–4 Tunisia Espérance de Tunis 0–1 1–3
Al-Merrikh Sudan 3–2 Angola Kabuscorp 2–0 1–2
AC Semassi Togo 0–6 Tunisia CS Sfaxien 0–5 0–1
MC El Eulma Algeria 2–1 Ghana Asante Kotoko 0–0 2–1
Enyimba Nigeria 1–2 Egypt Smouha 1–0 0–2
Gor Mahia Kenya 0–2 Republic of the Congo AC Léopards 0–1 0–1
APR Rwanda 0–4 Egypt Al-Ahly 0–2 0–2
Moghreb Tétouan Morocco 5–2 Nigeria Kano Pillars 4–0 1–2
Real Banjul The Gambia 1–3 Algeria ES Sétif 1–1 0–2
Kaizer Chiefs South Africa 0–3 Morocco Raja Casablanca 0–1 0–2
Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa 2–3 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 1–0 1–3
AS Mangasport Gabon 2–5 Mali Stade Malien 1–3 1–2

Second round
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
USM Alger Algeria 3–2 Guinea AS Kaloum 2–1 1–1
SM Sanga Balende Democratic Republic of the Congo 0–2 Sudan Al-Hilal 0–1 0–1
Al-Merrikh Sudan 2–2 (a) Tunisia Espérance de Tunis 1–0 1–2
MC El Eulma Algeria 1–1 (7–6 p) Tunisia CS Sfaxien 1–0 0–1
AC Léopards Republic of the Congo 1–2 Egypt Smouha 1–0 0–2
Moghreb Tétouan Morocco 1–1 (4–3 p) Egypt Al-Ahly 1–0 0–1
Raja Casablanca Morocco 4–4 (1–4 p) Algeria ES Sétif 2–2 2–2
Stade Malien Mali 3–4 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 2–2 1–2

The losers of the second round entered the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round.

Group stage
Main article: 2015 CAF Champions League group stage
Location of teams of the 2015 CAF Champions League group stage.
Group A.
Group B.

The draw for the group stage was held on 5 May 2015, 11:00 UTC+2, at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[17][18] The eight winners of the second round were drawn into two groups of four. Each group contained one team from Pot 1, one team from Pot 2, and two teams from Pot 3.[19] The seeding of each team was determined by their ranking points calculated based on performances in continental club championships for the period 2010–2014.

The following eight teams were entered into the draw:

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3

Each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TPM HIL MAT SMO
1 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 6 3 2 1 8 1 +7 11 Advance to knockout stage — 0–0 5–0 1–0
2 Sudan Al-Hilal 6 2 3 1 5 3 +2 9 1–0 — 0–1 2–0
3 Morocco Moghreb Tétouan 6 2 2 2 6 10 −4 8 0–0 1–1 — 2–1
4 Egypt Smouha 6 1 1 4 5 10 −5 4 0–2 1–1 3–2 —
Source: CAF

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification USM MER ESS MCE
1 Algeria USM Alger 6 5 0 1 9 3 +6 15 Advance to knockout stage — 1–0 3–0 2–1
2 Sudan Al-Merrikh 6 4 1 1 9 4 +5 13 1–0 — 2–0 2–0
3 Algeria ES Sétif 6 1 2 3 5 10 −5 5 1–2 1–1 — 2–2
4 Algeria MC El Eulma 6 0 1 5 5 11 −6 1 0–1 2–3 0–1 —
Source: CAF

Knockout stage
Main article: 2015 CAF Champions League knockout stage

Knockout ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still level, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (no extra time would be played).[1]

Bracket
Semi-finals Final
          
1 Sudan Al-Hilal 1 0 1
4 Algeria USM Alger 2 0 2
Algeria USM Alger 1 0 1
Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 2 2 4
3 Sudan Al-Merrikh 2 0 2
2 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 1 3 4

Semi-finals

In the semi-finals, the group A winners played the group B runners-up, and the group B winners played the group A runners-up, with the group winners hosting the second leg.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Al-Merrikh Sudan 2–4 Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 2–1 0–3
Al-Hilal Sudan 1–2 Algeria USM Alger 1–2 0–0

Final
Main article: 2015 CAF Champions League Final

In the final, the order of legs was determined by a draw, held after the group stage draw.

USM Alger Algeria1–2Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe
Seguer 89' Report Kalaba 28'
Samatta 79' (pen.)
Attendance: 15.000
Referee: Gehad Grisha (Egypt)
TP Mazembe Democratic Republic of the Congo2–0Algeria USM Alger
Samatta 74' (pen.)
Assalé 90+3'		 Report
Attendance: 18,000

Top scorers
Rank Player Team Goals
1 Sudan Bakri Al-Madina Sudan Al-Merrikh 7
Tanzania Mbwana Samatta Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe
3 Morocco Mouhcine Iajour Morocco Moghreb Tétouan 6
Ivory Coast Roger Assalé Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe
5 Nigeria Christian Osaguona Morocco Raja Casablanca 5
6 Algeria Youcef Belaïli Algeria USM Alger 4
Zambia Rainford Kalaba Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe
Zambia Justine Zulu Zambia ZESCO United
9 Algeria Kaddour Beldjilali Algeria USM Alger 3
Algeria Mohamed Rabie Meftah Algeria USM Alger
Algeria Mohamed Seguer Algeria USM Alger
Democratic Republic of the Congo Kabamba Mukundi Democratic Republic of the Congo SM Sanga Balende
Ivory Coast Hermann Kouao Egypt Smouha
Democratic Republic of the Congo Kabongo Kassongo Guinea Kaloum Star
Morocco Adil Karrouchy Morocco Raja Casablanca
Nigeria Mohammed Gambo Nigeria Kano Pillars
Sudan Mudather Careca Sudan Al-Hilal
Sudan Nizar Hamid Sudan Al-Hilal
Burkina Faso Boubacar Kébé Sudan Al-Hilal
Sudan Ahmed Abdalla Sudan Al-Merrikh
Cameroon Yannick N'Djeng Tunisia Espérance de Tunis

See also

References
  1. "Regulations of the CAF Champions League" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  2. "TP Mazembe beat USM Alger to win African Champions League". BBC Sport. 8 November 2015.
  3. "CAF disowns club ranking published by some websites". Cafonline.com. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  4. "Two South African clubs for each Interclub Competition". CAF. 29 November 2014.
  5. "Affaire Ebossé, La JS Kabyle suspendue deux années par la CAF" (in French). Goal.com. 21 September 2014.
  6. "JS Kabylie given two year Caf ban over Ebosse death". BBC Sport. 22 September 2014.
  7. "JS Kabylie win appeal against ban imposed after death of Ebosse". BBC Sport. 11 February 2015.
  8. "Gambia suspended from all competitions for two years". Cafonline.com. 3 May 2014.
  9. "The Gambia disqualified from all Caf competitions". BBC Sport. 3 May 2014.
  10. "Gambia banned for 2 years for age cheating". newsobserver.com. 3 May 2014.
  11. "Caf lifts suspension on The Gambia following elections". BBC Sport. 30 September 2014.
  12. "CAF Full Calendar". CAFonline.com. 28 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  13. "Draws made for 2015 Orange Champions League, Confederations Cup". CAF. 22 December 2014.
  14. "Twitter @CAF_Online". CAF. 30 April 2015.
  15. "19th Edition of CAF Champions League CL 2015" (PDF). CAF.
  16. "CAF Clubs Competitions across Africa, Hearts in Action whilst Kotoko gets a walkover". SpyGhana. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  17. "Live report: CAF Interclubs draw". CAFonline.com. 5 May 2015.
  18. "Algerian trio drawn together". CAFonline.com. 5 May 2015.
  19. "Mazembe, Setif top seeds in CAFCL Group stage draw". Confederation of African Football. 4 May 2015.
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