Wydad Athletic Club (WAC) of Casablanca, Morocco’s Nigerian duo, Michael Babatunde and Gabriel Okechukwu are set to tango Lobi Stars of Makurdi in the group stage of the CAF Champions League, footballlive.ng reports.
This follows a realization of one of the permutations that preceded Friday’s group stage draw on the African elite clubs’ money-spinning competition, as the forecast of Babatunde and Gabriel popping out against Lobi came to pass.
The other permutation before Friday’s draw had been a possibility of the Makurdi-based side meeting Junior Ajayi’s side, Al-Ahly of Egypt, as well another North African club, plus Orlando Pirates of South Africa,
However, the closest Lobi Stars got from the other projection are Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, while ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire complete the roll call in Group A for the next stage of the championship early next year.
Lobi’s opening group game will be at home on the weekend of January 11 to 13, against Mamelodi Sundowns, aka The Brazilians, who won the elite competition three years ago.
Similarly, Babatunde and Gabriel’s Wydad were continental champs two years ago, while ASEC ruled Africa in 1998, which means Lobi have strong pedigree to confront in the group.
Compared to the other three, it is Lobi Stars’ second outing in the group stage of the money-spinning competition after their first contest in the year 2000.
