Kaizer Chiefs could receive a free pass in the CAF Champions League preliminary round should their opponents fail to honour the return leg of their clash this weekend.
Chiefs were scheduled to face PWD Bamenda in a reverse fixture at FNB Stadium on Friday, but the visitors from Cameroon have asked for more time after they failed to arrive in South Africa.
Instead, Amakhosi gave an update on Friday morning through the club’s official Twitter account to say that “CAF has approved our proposal to play the match on Saturday, December 5 2020”.
“We await [Pamenda’s] arrival. Kick-off is set for 6pm,” noted Chiefs.
CAF rules stipulate that: “In case of withdrawal of a team from any round, until the group matches, the opponent which it was scheduled to meet will qualify for the next round.”
In any case, Chiefs have an advantage going into the second leg after a 1-0 win in their first meeting in Limbe last weekend, thanks to a late match goal by defender Erick Mathoho, while Itumeleng Khune saved a penalty in the final minute of the game.
The winner between Chiefs and Pamenda will meet Angolan side Primero De Agosto over two legs in the first round.
READ: ‘We need to take Chiefs back to where it belongs’ – Khama Billiat
Meanwhile, Bloemfontein Celtic will look to finish off their opponents in the second leg of their Confederation Cup preliminary clash.
Phunya Sele Sele take a 2-0 advantage to their second leg clash against Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday.
If Celtic advance, they will meet the winners of the game between Futuro Kings of Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria’s Rivers United in the next stage. Kings lead 2-1 from the first leg.
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