General Secretary of AS Port, Ibrahim Weah, has disclosed that his outfit have reached an agreement with Zamalek to play both legs of their CAF Champions League first preliminary-round tie in Cairo.
Zamalek were drawn against the Djiboutian club in the opening preliminary round of Africa’s premier club competition, with the first legs scheduled to take place between September 4 and 6 and the return fixtures between September 11 and 13.
However, instead of travelling to Djibouti for the second leg, Zamalek will host both matches in Cairo after the two clubs reached an agreement.
“We have already finalized our agreement with Zamalek. We will play both the first and second leg matches of the preliminary round of the tournament in Cairo,” Weah told Btolat in an exclusive statement.
The arrangement means Zamalek will enjoy home advantage in both encounters as they begin their campaign in the competition.
The Egyptian giants are returning to the CAF Champions League after missing out in recent seasons, having secured their place in the tournament by winning the Egyptian Premier League last season.
Zamalek will be joined in the competition by Pyramids, who finished second in the Egyptian league and will also represent Egypt in the continental tournament.
For AS Port, the tie against Zamalek presents a major challenge, with the Djiboutian side facing one of Africa’s most established clubs over two matches in Cairo.
The two teams will now prepare for their first meeting, with the exact dates and kick-off times to be confirmed by the relevant authorities.