Rayon to face Rivers United of Nigeria in CAF playoff round

Peace Cup holders Rayon Sports will face Rivers United of Nigeria in the play-off round of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup. The draws of 2017 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round were conducted on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt. The Nigerian outfit were sensationally knocked out of CAF Champions League by Sudanese side Al-Merrikh despite having a clear advantage to progress. Rivers United had registered a 3-0 win in their first leg clash but lost 4-0 in the second leg in Sudan. Meanwhile, Rayon Sports qualified following the suspension of the Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) by the world football governing body, FIFA. Consequently, Rayon’s opponents AS Onze Créateurs de Niaréla, who had won the first leg of their first-round tie 1-0 in Mali, were disqualified from the competition, thus handing the Blues automatic qualification to the next round. This will be the first time the two sides meet in any CAF competition. The Nigerian club was formed last year following the merger of Sharks F.C. and Dolphins F.C. The blues will play the first round away in Nigeria on the weekend of April 7-9 before hosting the return leg on the weekend of April 14-16, in Kigali. However, the date for the first leg is likely to change as it falls within the commemoration week of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Making their third appearance at the annual continental showpiece, Djuma Masudi’s side will be aiming to reach the group stages, which would be a first for any Rwandan club in the history of newlook CAF Confederation Cup since it was established in 2004. editorial@newtimes.co.rw