Lions face Etoile Filante in Champions League opener

Accra, Dec. 4. GNA - Kpando Heart of Lions will launch their next year's CAF-MTN Champions League against Burkinabe champions, Etoile Filante at the preliminary stage.

Lions, placed second on the domestic scene last season and travel to Ouagadougou for the first leg on the weekend of January 30 and February 1 with return slated for Accra in a fortnight. The draw for the CAF Inter-Clubs Championship was conducted on Thursday afternoon at the headquarters of the continent's soccer controlling body in Cairo, Egypt.

Information gathered by GNA Sports indicates that the Lions could face former Africa Champions, ASEC Mimosa if they advance to the 1/16th stage.

The nation's other representative in the most prestigious club competition; Asante Kotoko will commence their campaign at the 1/16th stage after drawing a bye.

The two-time African champions, one of 11 clubs to have skipped the initial stages will face the winner of the Ittihad Zemouri Khemisset of Morocco and Wallidan of Gambia clash. Kotoko, serving a two-match home ban for assault and crowd violence in their last Confederation Cup duel with Etoile du Sahel in September host the first leg on the weekend of March 13-15 with the second leg in a fortnight.

Kotoko are participating in the one million-dollar prize competition for the fourth time since the inception of the new format in 1997 while Lions make a debut.