Prisons, Pipeline learn African Championship opponents

Women’s African Clubs Championship 2021 competitors have known their group stage opponents. The draw-conducted on Tuesday in Kelibia, Tunisia-placed the 11 teams into two groups one with five teams while the other has six.

Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline are representing the country at this year’s championship which serves off on Wednesday in the coastal town of the North African country.

Prisons, five-time winners and the last Kenyan team to win the title in 2013, were placed in Pool ‘A’ alongside Tunisia sides Sfax and Kelibia, Muzinga from Burundi and Welaita Sodo of Ethiopia.

The local league champions will launch their title quest Wednesday against Muzinga starting 4pm Kenyan time.

Prisons technical director David Lungáho who led the side to win the last continental title eight years ago,will alongside Azenga Mavisi, be holding the fort while Josp Barasa is away with the national women’s team currently training under a bio-secure bubble ahead of the Olympic Games.

Six-time champions Kenya Pipeline are in Pool ‘B’ alongside 2017 champions and 2019 runners up Carthage of Tunisia, Customs of Nigeria, ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast, AS Douanes from Burkina Faso and Ethiopia’s National Alcohol.

Speaking after the draws were announced, Pipeline head coach Paul Gitau who is handling the Oilers for the first time at the continental level, said his charges are targeting to reclaim the title they lastly won in 2005.

“Even before the draws were released we were ready for any team since we’ve been preparing to tackle any opponent. We know the challenge ahead of us especially against the Carthage who are at home and also they are very experienced but also we respect all other opponents. Our target is to top the pool and we’re ready for the action,” he told Citizen Digital.

Pipeline will face ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast on Wednesday 2pm in their opening fixture.