Four clubs from the Cecafa region have reached the 2022/23 TotalEnergies Caf Champions League including first timers Vipers SC.
Tanzania’s Simba and Sudan’s traditional giants Al Hilal and Al Merriekh are the other sides from the region to reach the lucrative stages.
Vipers eliminated five-time champions TP Mazembe on post-match penalties after drawing goalless over two legs.
Disan Galiwango, Bright Anukani, Ashraf Mandela and Olivier Osomba converted all their attempts while the Ravens missed two out of four.
Al Merriekh made it to the last 16 on away goals rule despite losing 3-1 away to Libya’s Ahli Tripoli.
They had won 2-0 in the first leg in Omdurman and the single goal late in the game by Ramadan Agab sent them through.
Their counter parts and rivals Al Hilal eliminated Tanzania’s Young Africans, home to Ugandan international Khalid Aucho 2-1 on aggregate.
They drew 1-1 in Dar es Salaam last weekend won 1-0 in Omdurman on Sunday.
Simba also beat Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto 1-0 to complete a double and reach the group stages.
Elsewhere, North African giants Al Ahly and Zamalek (Egypt), Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca, Tunisia’s Esperance and the Algerian duo of CR Belouizdad and JS Kabylie.
Others are Cameroon’s Coton Sport, Petro Luanda (Angola), AC Horoya (Guinea) and 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
The last team will be decided on October 20, the day the second leg of Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) and AS Vita (DR Congo) will be played.
The reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw in Burkina Faso.
The 15 qualified teams: Vipers SC (Uganda), Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Raja CA (Morocco), Al Merrikh (Sudan), JS Kabylie (Algeria), Esperance Tunis (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Petro Luanda (Angola), Zamalek (Egypt), CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Simba (Tanzania), Al Hilal (Sudan), AC Horoya (Guinea), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Coton Sport (Cameroon),
To be decided: Kadiogo (Burkina Faso)/AS Vita (DR Congo)
Morocco must go for finals