Southern Arena to host Bo Rangers, Belouizdad first leg

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, have granted second approval to Southern Arena in Bo City, Sierra Leone, to host Bo Rangers Champions League second-round preliminary first leg this month.

Sierra Leone champions will host their CAF Champions League second preliminary first leg against Algerian side CR Belouizdad on 17 September 2023 before travelling for the return leg two weeks later.

Kickoff time is at 4:00 pm local time in Bo city as the match will be officiated by a quartet of Nigerians led by Joseph Odey Ogabor as Centre man. 

Vice President of The Gambia Football Association, Bakary K Jammeh, will serve as Match Commissioner, with Togolese former international referee Kokou Djaoupe as the referee assessor.

Having engraved their name in the Sierra Leone top-flight history books after a back-to-back title, they will be hopeful to relive that moment this time on the continental stage.

The Southern Province progressed to this stage after eliminating Liberian side LISCR FC 2-1 on aggregate over two legs in the first preliminary rounds. 

It’s going to be the third and fourth meetings between the two sides. However, Bo Rangers was eliminated by Algerian giants CR Belouizdad in their maiden continental appearance 3-0 on aggregate last September following a goalless first-leg encounter in the Liberian capital.

Egypt’s Al Ahly are the current holders of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after their fiercely contested victory over Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca on a 3-2 aggregate victory in June.

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