After the national team’s heroics against Guinea this week, Jwaneng Galaxy are hoping to prove that the country’s domestic sides can mix it with the big boys too.
The BW champions departed for Morocco on Wednesday night, where one of the true giant’s of African club football, Wydad AC await as the CAF Champions League Group stages get underway.
To reach this stage of the competition is a massive achievement on its own, something Galaxy have now accomplished twice in three years.
Back in the 2021/22 edition, Morena Ramoreboli’s team came up painfully short of the quality required, managing a single point from their six matches.
Two years on, and the South African tactician will be hungry to show just how far his side have come since then.
Having seen off the Ugandan Vipers 3-2 and then made Orlando Pirates walk the plank, knocking the Buccaneers out on penalties after a 1-1 draw over two legs, Galaxy have already proved they can cope with the big game pressure.
However, tests don’t come much tougher than three-time champions of Africa, Wydad AC.
Since 2011, the Casablanca-based outfit have made the final of the continent’s premier club competition five times, including the last two editions.
In 2022, when Galaxy were finding the going tough in the groups, Wydad went all the way to win it, beating Al Ahly 2-0 in the grand finale. The Egyptians would gain swift revenge earlier this year, snatching the crown back from Wydad in a fiery two-legged final.
The Moroccans suffered more final heartache at the African Football League this month, losing out to Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate.
Galaxy will be wary off a backlash from the wounded Wydad when the two teams face off at the Grand Stade Marrakech stadium at 8pm on Saturday night.
Besides the Moroccan marvels, the group also contains Ivory Coast’s, Asec Mimosa as well as Tanzanian titans, Simba SC, who are next up on Galaxy’s African adventure, coming to the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium on Saturday 2nd December…there’s the small matter of Wydad AC to worry about before then!