Uganda's URA win in African Champions League
Uganda's URA beat Zanaco of Zambia 1-0 in the first of 24 first-round, first-leg fixtures over the weekend.
Manko Kawesa scored the winner in injury time.
Elsewhere on the continent three-time winners Raja Casablanca of Morocco are among eight former title holders in action.
Club Africain and Esperance of Tunisia, Algerian duo JS Kabylie and Entente Setif and Egyptian outfit Ismailia will be there.
While Ghana's Asante Kotoko and South Africa's Orlando Pirates are the other former champions with first round assignments.
All are taking the first step on a journey that will involve 16 fixtures if they go all the way.
The winner will collect a 1.5-million-dollar cheque and secure a place at the year-end FIFA Club World Cup.
Defending champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo are among eight clubs to receive byes into the second round of a competition first staged 45 years ago.
And the determination of the Congolese 'Crows' from the southern city of Lubumbashi to retain the trophy is reflected in the 10-million-dollar budget allocated for the title defence.
The other seven sides automatically through to the second round include Al Ahly of Egypt, African champions a record six times and inevitable favourites to raise the cup come November.
ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast and Union Douala of Cameroon also skip the first round, the former on merit and the latter because the Sao Tome e Principe champions withdrew without explanation.
It remains a mystery why clubs enter the Caf club competitions every year only to quit before a ball is kicked, incurring a three-year ban and a fine most can ill afford.
Popularly known as the 'Green Devils', Raja were the first winners of the premier Caf club competition when it was renamed and revamped in 1997.
They conquered Africa again two years later and were 2002 runners-up.
But since then the best the Moroccans managed was a semi-finals place.
They did not even qualify for the last three editions of a competition they also won in 1989 when known as the African Champions Cup.
Raja are away in the first leg to Fello Star of Guinea, a club based in Labe 400 kilometres north east of capital city Conakry who have made two previous appearances without reaching the group phase.
Other former champions playing in west Africa are Kotoko, who face ASC Linguere of Senegal.
Esperance meet East End Lions of Sierra Leone, and Kabylie play Armed Forces of Gambia.
Ismailia take on debutants Sofapaka in Kenya and Club Africain meet Sahel in Niger.
Entente Setif confront Diables Noir in Congo and Pirates travel north to neighbouring Botswana for a showdown with Gaborone United.
Expensively assembled Al-Merreikh of Sudan, who failed to win a game after reaching the group stage last year, are away to Saint George, an Ethiopian team long on African experience but short on success.
Uganda's URA beat Zanaco of Zambia 1-0 in the first of 24 first-round, first-leg fixtures over the weekend.
Manko Kawesa scored the winner in injury time.
Elsewhere on the continent three-time winners Raja Casablanca of Morocco are among eight former title holders in action.
Club Africain and Esperance of Tunisia, Algerian duo JS Kabylie and Entente Setif and Egyptian outfit Ismailia will be there.
While Ghana's Asante Kotoko and South Africa's Orlando Pirates are the other former champions with first round assignments.
All are taking the first step on a journey that will involve 16 fixtures if they go all the way.
The winner will collect a 1.5-million-dollar cheque and secure a place at the year-end FIFA Club World Cup.
Defending champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo are among eight clubs to receive byes into the second round of a competition first staged 45 years ago.
And the determination of the Congolese 'Crows' from the southern city of Lubumbashi to retain the trophy is reflected in the 10-million-dollar budget allocated for the title defence.
The other seven sides automatically through to the second round include Al Ahly of Egypt, African champions a record six times and inevitable favourites to raise the cup come November.
ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast and Union Douala of Cameroon also skip the first round, the former on merit and the latter because the Sao Tome e Principe champions withdrew without explanation.
It remains a mystery why clubs enter the Caf club competitions every year only to quit before a ball is kicked, incurring a three-year ban and a fine most can ill afford.
Popularly known as the 'Green Devils', Raja were the first winners of the premier Caf club competition when it was renamed and revamped in 1997.
They conquered Africa again two years later and were 2002 runners-up.
But since then the best the Moroccans managed was a semi-finals place.
They did not even qualify for the last three editions of a competition they also won in 1989 when known as the African Champions Cup.
Raja are away in the first leg to Fello Star of Guinea, a club based in Labe 400 kilometres north east of capital city Conakry who have made two previous appearances without reaching the group phase.
Other former champions playing in west Africa are Kotoko, who face ASC Linguere of Senegal.
Esperance meet East End Lions of Sierra Leone, and Kabylie play Armed Forces of Gambia.
Ismailia take on debutants Sofapaka in Kenya and Club Africain meet Sahel in Niger.
Entente Setif confront Diables Noir in Congo and Pirates travel north to neighbouring Botswana for a showdown with Gaborone United.
Expensively assembled Al-Merreikh of Sudan, who failed to win a game after reaching the group stage last year, are away to Saint George, an Ethiopian team long on African experience but short on success.
