2012 CAF Champions League

The 2012 CAF Champions League (also known as the 2012 Orange CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 48th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 16th edition under the current CAF Champions League format.

2012 CAF Champions League

Tournament details
Dates	18 February – 17 November 2012
Teams	51 (from 40 associations)
Final positions
Champions	Al-Ahly (7th title)
Runners-up	Espérance ST
Tournament statistics
Matches played	113
Goals scored	282 (2.5 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Emmanuel Clottey (12 goals)
← 2011 2013 →

Al-Ahly from Egypt won a record seventh title, defeating Espérance ST from Tunisia with a 3–2 win on aggregate in the final. They qualified for the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, and also earned the right to play in the 2013 CAF Super Cup.

Association team allocation

Theoretically, up to 55 CAF member associations may enter the 2012 CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to CAF 5-year ranking eligible to enter 2 teams in the competition. For this year's competition, CAF used 2006-10 5-Year ranking. As a result, a maximum of 67 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

Ranking system

Main article: CAF 5-year ranking

CAF calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over the last 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, not taking into considering the running year. The criteria for points are the following:^[1]

	CAF Champions League	CAF Confederation Cup
Winner	5 points	4 points
Runner-up	4 points	3 points
Losing semi-finalists	3 points	2 points
3rd place in groups	2 points	1 point
4th place in groups	1 point	1 point

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follow:

• 2010 – 5
• 2009 – 4
• 2008 – 3
• 2007 – 2
• 2006 – 1

Entrants list

Below is the entrants list for the competition. Nations are shown according to their 2006–2010 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated. Teams were also seeded using their individual 2007–2011 5-Year team Ranking. The top thirteen sides (shown in bold) received byes to the first qualifying round.

Association	Club	Qualifying method
Associations with two entrants (Ranked 1–12)
Tunisia (1st - 97 pts)	Espérance ST^(1st – 42 pts)	2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champion
	Étoile du Sahel^(6th – 17 pts)	2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up
Egypt (2nd - 81 pts)	Al-Ahly^(4th – 36 pts)	2010–11 Egyptian Premier League champion
	Zamalek^(=15th – 2 pts)	2010–11 Egyptian Premier League runner-up
Congo DR (3rd - 60 pts)	TP Mazembe^(2nd – 41 pts)	2011 Linafoot champion
	AS Vita Club^(14th – 3 pts)	2011 Linafoot runner-up
Nigeria (4th - 58 pts)	Dolphins^(=15th – 2 pts)	2010–11 Nigeria Premier League champion
	Sunshine Stars^(=10th – 10 pts)	2010–11 Nigeria Premier League runner-up
Sudan (5th - 47 pts)	Al-Merreikh^(=10th – 10 pts)	2011 Sudan Premier League champion
	Al-Hilal^(3rd – 37 pts)	2011 Sudan Premier League runner-up
Algeria (6th - 45 pts)	ASO Chlef	2010–11 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champion
	JSM Béjaïa	2010–11 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up
Morocco (7th - 27 pts)	Raja Casablanca^(12th – 5 pts)	2010–11 Botola champion
	Maghreb de Fès^(7th – 15 pts)	2010–11 Botola runner-up
Mali (8th - 21 pts)	Stade Malien^(8th – 12 pts)	2010–11 Malian Première Division champion
	Djoliba^(13th – 4 pts)	2010–11 Malian Première Division runner-up
Zimbabwe (9th - 18 pts)	Dynamos^(=10th – 10 pts)	2011 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champion
	FC Platinum	2011 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League runner-up
Cameroon (11th - 14 pts)	Coton Sport^(5th – 18 pts)	2010–11 Cameroonian Premier League champion
	Les Astres^(17th – 1 pt)	2010–11 Cameroonian Premier League runner-up
Ivory Coast (=12th - 13 pts)^†	Africa Sports	2011 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division champion
	AFAD Djékanou	2011 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division runner-up
Associations with one entrant (Fewer ranking points than the 12th CAF association)
Angola (=12th - 13 pts)^†	Recreativo do Libolo	2011 Girabola champion
Zambia (=12th - 13 pts)^†	Power Dynamos	2011 Zambian Premier League champion
Ghana (15th - 6 pts)	Berekum Chelsea	2010–11 Ghanaian Premier League champion
Niger (=16th - 5 pts)	ASGNN	2010–11 Niger Premier League champion
South Africa (=16th - 5 pts)	Orlando Pirates	2010–11 Premier Soccer League champion
Equatorial Guinea (18th - 1 pt)	CD Elá Nguema	2011 Equatoguinean Premier League champion
Benin	Tonnerre	2010–11 Benin Premier League leader (league suspended)
Burkina Faso	ASFA Yennenga	2010–11 Burkinabé Premier League champion
Burundi	Athlético Olympic	2010–11 Burundi Premier League champion
Central African Republic	DFC 8ème Arrondissement	2011 Central African Republic League champion
Chad	Foullah Edifice	2011 Ligue de N'Djaména champion
Comoros	Coin Nord	2011 Comoros Premier League champion
Congo	Diables Noirs	2011 Congo Premier League champion
Ethiopia	Ethiopian Coffee	2010–11 Ethiopian Premier League champion
Gabon	Missile	2010–11 Gabon Championnat National D1 champion
Gambia	Brikama United	2011 GFA League First Division champion
Guinea	Horoya AC	2011 Guinée Championnat National champion
Kenya	Tusker	2011 Kenyan Premier League champion
Lesotho	Lesotho Correctional Services	2010–11 Lesotho Premier League champion
Liberia	LISCR	2010–11 Liberian Premier League champion
Madagascar	Japan Actuel's	2011 THB Champions League champion
Mozambique	Liga Muçulmana	2011 Moçambola champion
Rwanda	APR	2010–11 Rwandan Premier League champion
Senegal	US Ouakam	2011 Senegal Premier League champion
Sierra Leone	Ports Authority	2011 Sierra Leone National Premier League champion
Swaziland	Green Mamba	2010–11 Swazi Premier League champion
Tanzania	Young Africans	2010–11 Tanzanian Premier League champion
Uganda	URA	2010–11 Ugandan Super League champion
Zanzibar	Mafunzo	2011 Zanzibar Premier League champion

Notes

• Associations that did not enter a team: Libya (seeded 10th with 16 ranking points and entitled to two entrants), Botswana, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Réunion, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Somalia, Togo
• ^† According to the formula for calculating the CAF 5-year ranking, Angola, Ivory Coast and Zambia are tied 12th place with 13 ranking points. As stated in local media reports, Ivory Coast have two entrants,^[2] while Angola and Zambia have one entrant.^[3][4]
• Unranked associations have no ranking points and hence are equal 19th.
• Unranked teams have no rankings points and hence are equal 18th. Club ranking is determined only between teams qualified for the 2012 CAF Champions League.

Round and draw dates

Schedule of dates for 2012 competition.^[5]

Phase	Round	Draw date	First leg	Second leg
Qualifying	Preliminary round	9 December 2011 (Cairo, Egypt)	17–19 February	2–4 March
	First round		23–25 March	6–8 April
	Second round		27–29 April	11–13 May
Group stage	Matchday 1	15 May 2012 (Cairo, Egypt)^[6]	6–8 July
	Matchday 2		20–22 July
	Matchday 3		3–5 August
	Matchday 4		17–19 August
	Matchday 5		31 August–2 September
	Matchday 6		14–16 September
Knock-out stage	Semifinals		5–7 October	19–21 October
	Final		2–4 November	16–18 November^†

^† Moved from original date of 9–11 November.^[7]

Qualifying rounds

Main article: 2012 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds

The fixtures for the preliminary, first and second qualifying rounds were announced on 9 December 2011.^[8]

Qualification ties were decided over two legs, with aggregate goals used to determine the winner. If the sides were level on aggregate after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still level, the tie proceeded directly to a penalty shootout (no extra time was played).^[9]

Preliminary round

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
ASFA Yennenga	1–4	ASO Chlef	0–0	1–4
AS Vita Club	6–4	Atlético Olympic	5–0	1–4
DFC 8ème Arrondissement	2–2 (a)	Astres FC	1–0	1–2
Young Africans	1–2	Zamalek	1–1	0–1
Missile	3–4	Africa Sports	3–2	0–2
Ports Authority	0–1	Horoya AC	0–0	0–1
Foullah Edifice	1–3	JSM Béjaïa	0–0	1–3
AFAD Djékanou	2–0	Diables Noirs	1–0	1–0
Tusker	0–1	APR	0–0	0–1
Coin Nord	2–4	Ethiopian Coffee	1–0	1–4
ASGNN	0–1	Tonnerre	0–0	0–1
Orlando Pirates	2–4	Recreativo do Libolo	1–3	1–1
URA	3–0	Lesotho Correctional Services	3–0	0–0
Mafunzo	0–5	Liga Muçulmana	0–2	0–3
Brikama United	1–1 (3–1 p)	US Ouakam	0–1	1–0
Sony Elá Nguema	0–6	Dolphins	0–3	0–3
LISCR	0–5	Berekum Chelsea	0–2	0–3
Green Mamba	2–8	FC Platinum	2–4	0–4
Japan Actuel's	1–8	Power Dynamos	1–5	0–3

First round

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
ASO Chlef	3–2	AS Vita Club	0–0	3–2
DFC 8ème Arrondissement	1–8	Al-Hilal	0–3	1–5
Zamalek(a)	2–2	Africa Sports	1–0	1–2
Horoya AC	1–4	Maghreb de Fès	1–1	0–3
JSM Béjaïa	1–5	AFAD Djékanou	1–2	0–3
APR	2–3	Étoile du Sahel	0–0	2–3
Ethiopian Coffee	0–3	Al-Ahly	0–0	0–3
Tonnerre	2–5	Stade Malien	0–0	2–5
Recreativo do Libolo	4–4 (a)	Sunshine Stars	4–1	0–3
URA	w/o^1	Djoliba	0–2	—
Liga Muçulmana	2–3	Dynamos	2–2	0–1
Brikama United	2–4	Espérance ST	1–1	1–3
Dolphins	2–2 (a)	Coton Sport	2–1	0–1
Berekum Chelsea	5–3	Raja Casablanca	5–0	0–3
FC Platinum	2–5	Al-Merreikh	2–2	0–3
Power Dynamos	1–7	TP Mazembe	1–1	0–6

Notes

• Note 1: Djoliba advanced to the second round after being awarded the tie by CAF, as URA did not travel to Mali for the second leg due to the Malian crisis.

Second round

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Al-Hilal	2–2 (2–4 p)	ASO Chlef	1–1	1–1
Maghreb de Fès	0–4	Zamalek	0–2	0–2
Étoile du Sahel	4–2	AFAD Djékanou	4–1	0–1
Stade Malien	2–3	Al-Ahly	1–0	1–3
Djoliba	1–2	Sunshine Stars	1–1	0–1
Espérance ST	7–1	Dynamos	6–0	1–1
Berekum Chelsea	2–1	Coton Sport	0–0	2–1
TP Mazembe	3–1	Al-Merreikh	2–0	1–1

The losing teams from the second round advanced to the 2012 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round.^[9]

Group stage

Main article: 2012 CAF Champions League group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 15 May 2012.^[10] The eight teams were seeded into four pots (using their individual 2007–2011 5-Year team Ranking).^[11] Each group contained one team from each pot.^[12] The matchdays were 6–8 July, 20–22 July, 3–5 August, 17–19 August, 31 August–2 September, and 14–16 September.^[13]

Key to colours in group tables
Group winners and runners-up advance to the Semifinals

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		EST	SST	ASO	ESS
1	ES Tunis	4	3	0	1	6	3	+3	6	Advance to knockout stage		—	1–0	3–2	1–0
2	Sunshine Stars	4	2	0	2	4	4	0	4			0–2	—	2–0	–
3	ASO Chlef	4	1	0	3	4	7	−3	2			1–0	1–2	—	0–1
4	Étoile du Sahel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Disqualified^[a]		0–2	0–0	–	—

Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:

1. The match Étoile du Sahel v Espérance ST on Matchday 4 was abandoned due to crowd disturbance. The CAF decided to disqualify Étoile du Sahel as a result and all results obtained previously by Étoile du Sahel within Group A were cancelled.^[14]

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		AHL	TPM	BER	ZAM
1	Al-Ahly	6	3	2	1	9	6	+3	8	Advance to knockout stage		—	2–1	4–1	1–1
2	TP Mazembe	6	3	1	2	9	6	+3	7			2–0	—	2–2	2–0
3	Berekum Chelsea	6	2	3	1	9	10	−1	7			1–1	1–0	—	3–2
4	Zamalek SC	6	0	2	4	5	10	−5	2			0–1	1–2	1–1	—

Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

Knock-out stage

Main article: 2012 CAF Champions League knock-out stage

Bracket

	Semi-finals							Final
	1	Sunshine Stars	3	0	3
	4	Al Ahly	3	1	4
								Al Ahly		1	2	3
								Espérance ST		1	1	2
	3	TP Mazembe	0	0	0
	2	Espérance ST	0	1	1

Semifinals

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Sunshine Stars	3–4	Al Ahly	3–3	0–1
TP Mazembe	0–1	Espérance ST	0–0	0–1

Final

Main article: 2012 CAF Champions League Final

4 November 2012

19:00 UTC+02:00

Al Ahly	1–1	Espérance de Tunis
Hamdy   88'	Report	Hichri   49'

Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria

Attendance: 25,000

Referee: Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)

17 November 2012

18:30 UTC+01:00

Espérance de Tunis	1–2	Al Ahly
N'Djeng   85'	Report	Geddo   43' Soliman   61'

Stade Olympique de Radès, Tunis

Attendance: 31,000

Referee: Bouchaïb El Ahrach (Morocco)

Top scorers

Rank	Name	Team	Goals
1	Emmanuel Clottey	Berekum Chelsea	12
2	Mohamed Aboutrika	Al-Ahly	6
	Mbwana Samata	TP Mazembe
	Tresor Mputu	TP Mazembe
5	Geddo	Al-Ahly	5
	Izu Azuka	Sunshine Stars
	Yannick N'Djeng	Espérance ST
8	Karim Ali Hadji	ASO Chlef	4
	Rasca	Recreativo do Libolo
	Mudather El Tahir	Al-Hilal
	Youssef Msakni	Espérance ST

See also

• 2012 CAF Confederation Cup
• 2013 CAF Super Cup
• 2012 FIFA Club World Cup

References

1. "CAF disowns club ranking published by some websites". Cafonline.com. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
2. "Super division 2011 (10e journée) / Asec-AFAD 1-2 : Les Académiciens en Ligue des Champions" [2011 Super Division (10th day) / Asec-AFAD 1-2: Academicians in the Champions League]. Le Patriote (Abidjan) (in French). 24 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
3. "CAF diminui participação angolana nas afrotaças" [Angolan participation in CAF club competitions decreases]. Agência AngolaPress (in Portuguese). 28 July 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
4. "Nkwazi Demoted, Arrows Finish Second". Lusaka Times. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
5. "Dates fixed for Inter-clubs Competitions 2012" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
6. "CAF Meetings and Inter-Clubs Competitions draw set for May 15th 2012". Cafonline.com. 7 May 2012.
7. "Champions League 2nd leg final date moved". Confédération Africaine de Football. 4 October 2012.
8. "Fixtures of the preliminary round - 16th CL 2012" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
9. "Regulations of the CAF Champions League" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
10. "CAF interclubs final draw result". Confédération Africaine de Football. 15 May 2012.
11. "Orange Champions League and Orange Confederation Cup club ranking" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 15 May 2012.
12. "Orange Champions League Draw procedure" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 15 May 2012.
13. "Orange Champions League fixtures" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 15 May 2012.
14. "Disqualification of Etoile Sportive du Sahel from the 16th Edition of Orange CAF Champions League 2012" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football. 26 August 2012.

External links