Wolaitta Dicha will kick off their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup campaign tomorrow at the Abebe Bikila Stadium against Libyan heavyweights Al Ittihad Tripoli.
The Sodo-based club enter this year’s competition through a ruling by the Ethiopian Football Federation. Although they lost the Ethiopian Cup final to Sidama Bunna, their opponents were later sanctioned for fielding ineligible players, which awarded the title and continental qualification to Wolaitta Dicha.
Preparations began on August 24 in Sodo before the squad shifted to Adama, where they spent the past 28 days under new head coach Gebrekirstos Birara. As part of their build-up, the team faced the Ethiopian national side in a practice match.
Al Ittihad, their opponents, boast an illustrious record: 18 Libyan Premier League titles, 7 Libyan Cups, and 11 Super Cups. They booked their spot in this season’s Confederation Cup by defeating rivals Al Ahli Benghazi 3–0 in the Libyan Cup final.
Like Wolaitta Dicha, Al Ittihad also arrive under new management. Spanish tactician Juan Carlos Garrido has departed with Hamdi Bataw stepping in. Tomorrow will mark Bataw’s first official game in charge.
For Wolaitta Dicha, this is only their second appearance in continental competition. Their historic debut came in 2017 when they stunned Tanzania’s Zimamoto, famously eliminated Egyptian giants Zamalek, and reached the Round of 16 before bowing out to Young Africans.
In contrast, Al Ittihad featured in CAF tournaments 27 times (15 CAF Champions League, 11 CAF Confederation Cup, and one Cup Winners Cup). Their best achievements include winning the 2001 Cup Winners Cup, reaching the CAF Champions League semi-finals in 2007, and advancing to the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals in 2010.
Wolaitta Dicha will have a full squad available for this decisive first leg. Al Ittihad, meanwhile, will be without last season’s top scorer Ahmed Kahraba, who recently joined Kuwait’s Qadsia. However, they will be boosted by the addition of Togolese forward Roger Aholou and Libyan attacker Mohammed Al-Zantani, both of whom are expected to feature.
