CAF Champions League
CAF EMERGENCY COMMITTEE MAY SUSPEND REFEREE GASSAMA; FINE TUNISIA FA
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
On the sidelines of the 69th FIFA Congress in Paris, the seven-man Emergency Committee of CAF is expected to meet this Tuesday to deliberate on the controversy-riddled CAF Champions’ League 2nd leg final played at the weekend in Tunis, Tunisia. But in reality, only five of the members will meet.
Hassan Musa Bility of Liberia has resigned his membership of the committee in February. Fouzi Lekjaa, the Royal Morocco FA boss who is also CAF 3rd Vice President will technically be excluded as the case tabled for hearing affects his country and national association.
The exclusion of the two will still afford the Executive Committee a split decision, thus avoiding deadlock when it comes to voting. The committee is headed by CAF President, Ahmad and it also has the two vice presidents, Amaju Pinnick of Nigeria and Constant Omari Selemani of DR Congo.
The two other members are Suleiman Hassan Waberi of Djibouti and Hany Abou Ridar of Egypt.
Sports Village Square gathered that among the likely decisions, the Gambian referee, Bakary Gassama who officiated the match is likely going to be suspended for poor officiating.
The Egyptian referee, Gehad Grisha who officiated the first leg that ended 1-1 had been slammed with a six-month suspension. Incidentally, the build-up to the punishment had to do with disallowed goal and VAR.
The 43-year-old referee also went to the VAR twice, the first time to rule out a goal for the hosts due to a handball in the build-up to the goal, before not awarding Wydad a penalty in the 57th minute after consulting the VAR.
According to Morocco World News, CAF President, Ahmad was in sympathy with Morocco as he emphasised that ‘their goal was legitimate without VAR.’ The medium also Ahmad was of the opinion that ‘what has been happening might be a “conspiracy” against him.’
He told Morocco’s Al Mountakhab newspaper that he was personally “surprised and angry against all the issues that happened so fast. It appears that there has been something going down against me.”
Egypt’s Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa. This led to a 3-2 aggregate success. They celebrated their first African Champions League title. This triumph occurred following the second leg of this year’s final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
The first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1. Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes. He profited from a Sundowns defensive error. Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes. He scored with a header from a free-kick.
Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining. One more goal would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule. However, Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors.
Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily. Meanwhile, 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month’s Club World Cup in the United States on a low note.
-Reuters
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- 1. Pyramids aim to become the first new CAF Champions League winner since Sundowns (2016), the 13th in the modern era, and the 27th overall.
- 2. This is the 19th Champions League-era final featuring an Egyptian club. Previous teams (Al Ahly 10, Zamalek 1) have won 11 titles.
- 3. Including the pre-Champions League era, this is the 29th final for an Egyptian club, with 18 wins and 10 losses.
- 4. Pyramids have played only 1 of their last 9 matches at home but are unbeaten in their last 23 home games this season (W19 D4) and last 28 overall (W24 D4).
- 5. Pyramids scored in 22 of 23 home games this season; the only blank was a 0-0 draw vs Al Masry.
- 6.This season, they’ve won all 7 home matches, scoring 26 and conceding 6, with one clean sheet. In total, they’ve lost just 1 of 11 home matches in the competition.
- 7. Fiston Mayele leads with 8 goals in 12 matches (5 since group stage); Ibrahim Adel has 6 (also 5 post-group stage).
- 8. Ramadan Sobhi has 5 assists in 9 games (joint-most), plus 2 goals. He’s had major impact off the bench twice.
- 9. Askary Chibi has created 20 chances since the group stage — the most for Pyramids.
- 10. Pyramids have kept 3 clean sheets this season, all away, but remain dominant at home
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- 1. Sundowns are in their third CAF Champions League final (2001, 2016, 2024).
- 2. South African Record: First South African club to reach three finals, surpassing Orlando Pirates (2).
- 3. Sundowns hosted the first leg in all three finals. In 2001, they drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-0 away to Al Ahly.
- 4. Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 at home, lost 1-0 away, and won 3-1 on aggregate.
- 5. Sundowns have never scored in an away leg of a Champions League final, conceding five in total.
- 6. The current final marks the second time Sundowns led at home and failed to win (also in 2001).
- 7. A defeat would make Sundowns the first South African side to lose two finals.
- 8. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 10 matches vs Egyptian opposition (4wins and 6 draws).
- 9. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Egypt (2 wins and 2 draws).
- 10. A win would make Sundowns the first team since Al Ahly (2012) to win the title after failing to win the home leg.
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