Monrovia- Liberia Football Association League Champions, Watanga FC have confirmed that their upcoming CAF Champions League preliminary first leg home fixture against Algerian side MC Alger will be played in Algiers, the capital of Algeria.
By Jaheim T. Tumu, [email protected]
The club president’s Jlayteh Siryon, confirmed to FrontPage Africa in an interview that CAF has accepted their decision for the change of venue for the upcoming Champions League preliminary fixtures.
Liberia’s representative in the CAF Champions League, was initially scheduled to play against MC Alger at the SKD Sports Complex. However, the venue has been changed and will now take place between August 16-18, 2024, in Algiers.
In a communication dated July 22 from the League Champions, sent via the LFA to Muhammed F. Sidat, the head of the Professional Football Division at CAF in Cairo, Egypt, requested a change of venue.
The request outlined several issues, including scheduling of international friendlies which led to the club making an initial financial cost that had been incurred.
The communication said, “The LFA would like to inform you that their decision is predicated upon plans to have several test matches with clubs in Algeria, Tunisia and other nearby North African countries and would make it much easier and cost effective for them.”
“Additionally, according to the club, they have already incurred some initial costs that cannot be reimbursed and it remains optimistic that their request will be granted in time.”
Speaking further, Siryon said that the change of venue would enable the players to get more minutes in their legs, and ensure the coach prepared adequately by playing more international friendly matches with competitive teams ahead of the match against MC Alger and the National League. Accordingly, he said that the team will depart the country on August 14 and return on the 24.
“We will also be able to expose our players to scouts from North Africa and Europe who will attend all of our practice matches and the two games,” he said.
He added, “It also reduces the financial burden on us as we don’t have to go twice to North Africa, first for the pre-season and the other for the second leg.”
Meanwhile, Watanga will depart for Sierra Leone on Saturday and begin their preparation with a friendly match against Bo Ranger and return on Wednesday for another friendly against Eastern Lion.
