JOHANNESBURG – It’s another trip to Egypt for Absa Premiership title chasers Bidvest Wits following Tuesday morning’s CAF Confederation Cup draw.
The Clever Boys will endure another tiresome trip, this time to Alexandria to face Smouha Sporting Club in the second week of April for the first leg of their Confederation Cup playoff, with the return match scheduled a week later in Johannesburg.
Wits were relegated to the less prestigious, but still attractive, tournament after Al Ahly knocked them out of the Champions League on Sunday.
The South Africans failed to score in their own backyard, allowing the eight-time champions to continue their pursuit for yet another title as they progress thanks to an aggregate score of 1-0.
Al Ahly beat Wits by that scoreline at the National Stadium in Cairo a week earlier, defender Ahmed Hegazy souring high to head the ball home past goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs in the 56th minute.
The Clever Boys aren’t the only SA team looking to qualify for the group stages of the Confederation Cup.
SuperSport United were drawn to face Liberia’s Barrack Young Controllers over two legs next month, while Platinum Stars, who are rejuvenated yet again partly due to their participation in the continental tournament, are heading to Ivory Coast to face AS Tanda.
The winners in this playoff round qualify for the group stages.