CAF Champions League Prelims: Yanga Cruise, Vipers Edge African Stars

The 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League kicked off on Friday with three exciting ties opening the preliminary round. 

More matches are scheduled across the weekend, with aggregate winners advancing to the second round in early October.

Yanga in full control

Tanzanian champions Young Africans produced the standout display, defeating Angola’s Wiliete 3–0 away from home to seize early control of their contest.

John Edmund and Prince Dube struck in the second half after Aziz Andabwile’s first half breakthrough, giving Yanga a commanding cushion before next week’s return leg in Dar es Salaam.

Vipers edge African Stars

Uganda’s Vipers SC picked up a narrow but important 1–0 win over African Stars in Namibia, courtesy of defender Hillary Mukundane’s early goal. 

The visitors then frustrated their opponents with disciplined defending to take the advantage back to Kitende.

Stalemate in Cotonou

Benin’s Dadjè and Libyan side Al Ahly Tripoli played out a tight 0–0 draw, leaving the tie finely balanced.

The disciplined Beninese side limited the Libyans’ attacking threat, though Al Ahly will welcome the chance to settle matters on home turf. 

Dadjè, however, hinted they have the resilience to complicate the return leg in Tripoli.

The road ahead

This preliminary stage is just the beginning of a long campaign leading to the group phase, which kicks off on 21 November. 

African giants such as Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns enter the fray in the next round, while defending champions Pyramids and Rwanda’s APR will join even later.

For Friday’s winners, the challenge is to finish the job when the competition resumes between 26–28 September.

 For those chasing, home advantage offers one final lifeline to keep their ambitions alive.