Bantu to face Mbabane Swallows in CAF Champions League

Bantu will kick off their African adventure against Mbabane Swallows 

Bantu will play Swaziland champions Mbabane Swallows in the preliminary round of the 2018 CAF Champions League.

The draw for Africa’s premier club competition was conducted on Wednesday and the ties will be played in February.

The exact dates and venues are yet to be confirmed but what is known is Bantu will host the first leg with Mbabane Swallows hosting the return leg.

A Matšo Matebele will be looking to become the first Lesotho team to progress past the preliminary round of the Champions League since 2002 when LDF beat Botswana’s Mogoditshane Fighters 1-0 on aggregate to reach the first round.

The tie will be Bantu’s second appearance in the Champions League in the club’s history. In 2015, the Mafeteng giants were beaten 1-0 on aggregate by Gabon’s AS Mangasport.

If Lesotho's champions are able to progress past Mbabane Swallows they will face Zambia’s Zanaco or Gambia Armed Forces in the first round.

Lesotho in the CAF Champions League since 2000:

2017:   CAPS United (Zimbabwe) 2-1 Lioli

2016:   Vital’O (Burundi) 2-2 Lioli (Vital’O won on away goals)

2015:   AS Mangasport (Gabon) 1-0 Bantu

2014:   Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) 3-2 Lioli

2013:   Dynamos (Zimbabwe) 3-1 LCS

2012:   URA (Uganda) 3-0 LCS       

2011:   SuperSport United (South Africa) 3-2 Matlama

2010:   Did not take part

2009:   Did not take part

2008:   Platinum Stars (South Africa) 4-1 LCS

2007:   Zanaco (Zambia) 1-0 Likhopo

2006:   Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) 4-0 Likhopo

2005:   CAPS United (Zimbabwe) 8-4 LDF

2004:   Orlando Pirates (South Africa) 7-0 Matlama

2003:   Did not take part

2002:   (Preliminary round) Mogoditshane Fighters (Botswana) 1-2 LDF

(First round) TP Mazembe (DR Congo) 3-1 LDF

2001:   Did not take part

2000:   (Preliminary round) AS Fortior (Madagascar) 0-0 LDF (LDF won penalties)

2018 African Champions League draw:

First Round:

St George (Ethiopia) v Al Salam (South Sudan)

CNaPS (Madagascar) v Kampala Capital City Authority (Uganda)

Zanaco (Zambia) v Gambia Armed Forces (Gambia)

Bantu (Lesotho) v Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)

Stade Malien (Mali) v Williamsville AC (Ivory Coast)

Al Tahadi (Libya) v Aduana Stars (Ghana)

Entente Setif (Algeria) v Olympic Real Bangui (Central African Republic)

Real Bamako (Mali) v MFM FC (Nigeria)

AS Otoho (Congo) v Mouloudia Alger (Algeria)

AS Fan (Niger) v Horoya (Guinea)

Generation Foot (Senegal) v Misr Makassa (Egypt)

Young Africans (Tanzania) v St Louis (Seychelles)

Township Rollers (Botswana) v Al Merreikh (Sudan)

Gor Mahia (Kenya) v Leones Vegetarianos (Equatorial Guinea)

ASAC Concorde (Mauritania) v Esperance (Tunisia)

Plateau United (Nigeria) v Eding Sport (Cameroon)

AC Leopards (Congo) v AS Port Lome (Togo)

LISCR FC (Liberia) v Al Hilal (Sudan)

JKU SC (Zanzibar) v Zesco United (Zambia)

Benin representative v Asec Abidjan (Ivory Coast)

Ngaya Club (Comoros Islands) v UD Songo (Mozambique)

DH El Jadidi (Morocco) v Benfica (Guinea Bissau)

AS Vita Club (DR Congo) v Be Forward Wanderers (Malawi)

Primeiro Agosto (Angola) v FC Platinum (Zimbabwe)

Bidvest Wits (South Africa) v Pamplemousse SC (Mauritius)

Rayon Sports (Rwanda) v Lydia Ludic Burundi Academic (Burundi)

Second Round:

St George or Al Salam v CNaPS or Kampala Capital City Authority

Zanaco or Gambia Armed Forces v Bantu or Mbabane Swallows

Wydad Casablanca (Morocco, holders) v Stade Malien or Williamsville AC

Al Tahadi or Aduana Stars v Entente Setif or Olympic Real Bangui

Al Ahly (Egypt) v CF Mounana or RC Kadiogo

Real Bamako or MFM FC v AS Otoho or Mouloudia Alger

AS Fan or Horoya v Generation Foot or Misr Makassa

Young Africans or St Louis v Township Rollers or Al Merreikh

Gor Mahia or Leones Vegetarianos v ASAC Concorde or Esperance

Etoile Sahel (Tunisia) v Plateau United or Eding Sport

AC Leopards or AS Port Lome v LISCR FC or Al Hilal

JKU SC or Zesco United v Benin representative or Asec Abidjan

TP Mazembe (DR Congo) v Ngaya Club or UD Songo

DH El Jadidi or Benfica v AS Vita Club or Be Forward Wanderers

Primeiro Agosto or FC Platinum v Bidvest Wits or Pamplemousse SC

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) v Rayon Sports or Lydia Ludic Burundi Academic