Cape Town City’s opponents in the CAF Champions League have suffered a minor setback following the cancellation of their last warm-up match back home in Congo Brazzaville.
The Congolese league champions Association Sportive Otoho d’Oyo [AS Otoho] were set to play against Renaissance FC at Stade de Alphonso Massamba Debat on Monday.
However, Otoho announced later on Monday that the friendly could not take place due to reasons which they did not disclose.
“Our practice match that was scheduled to take place this Monday, September 5, against FC Renaissance in Kinshasa is cancelled,” Otoho said in a brief statement,
It should have been the third training match for the coach Julien Mette-coached team, which has been busy in the last few weeks.
Otoho won their last practice match 3-0 over JSP on Saturday courtesy of Roland Okouri’s double and Deldy Goyi sole goal.
The match was preceded by another game that Otoho played on August 31 2022, when they scrapped past Red Devils FC 1-0, with Mosengwo scoring the sole goal.
City welcome Otoho at Athlone Stadium on Saturday in the preliminary round first-leg CAF Champions League match that will be followed by the reverse match in Congo a week later.
Coach Mette has since declared his side ready for the continental league game on the road.
The coach has, however, suffered yet another minor setback after failing to sign Congolese Likango Mbala. Talks between the two parties are said to have hit a snag.
The midfielder was to become the club’s sixth signing ahead of the CAF Champions League clash against City.
“Likango Mbala’s Reagan’s transfer is off, although an agreement was reached initially. So, the Congolese offensive midfielder won’t be a blue and yellow this season,” Oto said in a brief statement.
On the other hand, Eric Tinkler’s men look in shape as they have been using the DStv Premiership matches to prepare for the CAF Champions League assignment.
City have won two league games in a row heading into Tuesday’s meeting with Sekhukhune United.
Mozambican Artur Adriano will officiate the match on Saturday with Teofilo Paulo and Tomas Cossa as his first and second assistants.
