JOHANNESBURG - Holders Al Ahly of Egypt were drawn on Friday against opposition from Algeria, Ghana and Tanzania for the group phase of this season’s African Champions League and will be heavily fancied to advance to the knockout stages.

The 11-time champions will play in Group D against Chabab Belouizdad from Algeria, Young Africans of Tanzania and Ghana’s Medeama, who have qualified for the group stage for the first time.

FC Nouadhibou are the first club from Mauritania to reach the group stage of any of the African club competitions and have been drawn in Group A along with another newcomer in Pyramids of Egypt. They were paired with two former winners -- TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

The group matches will be played from November through to March with the top two teams from the groups advancing to the quarter-finals in March. The final is played over two legs in May.

Draw

Group A: TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Pyramids (Egypt), FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Group B: Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana), ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Simba (Tanzania)

Group C: Petro Atletico (Angola), Al Hilal (Sudan), Esperance (Tunisia), Etoile Sahel (Tunisia)

Group D: Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), Al Ahly (Egypt), Medeama (Ghana), Young Africans (Tanzania) REUTERS