DAR ES SALAAM, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Defending champions SC Villa of Uganda on Wednesday played to a one-all draw with Elman of Somalia in their group preliminaries in Morogoro at the Central and East African Club Soccer Championship, according to reports reaching here.

    Though the defending titlists were the first to be on the scoreboard when Tony Ndolo was on target eight minutes into play, the score was levelled 24 minutes later with a Calson Mwakesa goal for the Somalis.

    Each with four points from two games, SC Villa still topped Group C preliminaries on goal difference while Elman perched second, followed by Altahril of Eritrea and Moro United of Tanzania.

    There are only four teams playing in the group whereas Group A and B each has five teams.

    Fourteen clubs from all the 10 countries affiliated with the Confederation of East and Central African Football Associations have fielded teams in this year's championship, also known as the Kagame Cup.

    The tournament kicked off last Friday and lasts until May 28.

    Tanzania's Young Africans, also known as Yanga, is drawn into Group A actions along with St. George of Ethiopia, Ulinzi of Kenya, Inter Stars of Burundi and Polisi of Zanzibar.

    Clubs drawn into Group C are Moro United of Tanzania, Altahril of Eritrea, Elman of Somalia, and Sports Club Villa of Uganda.

    Sports Club Villa are the defending champions of the annual tournament that inaugurated back in 1974. Enditem