CAF Champions League
Late drama as Al Ahly lift CAF Super Cup for eighth time in history
CAF Champions League champions, Al Ahly, have beaten Raja Casablanca on penalties to win their second consecutive CAF Super Cup under Pitso Mosimane.
The 2022 CAF Super Cup took place between Champions League winners Al Ahly and Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca, who were crowned as Confederation Cup champions, in Doha, Qatar.
Entering the game as favourites, Mosimane’s men were dealt a heavy blow just before the start of the game after their key midfielder Amr El-Sulya picked up an injury and had to be replaced with Yasser Ibrahim.
This changed Al Ahly’s starting XI to be as follows:
Mohamed El-Shennawy; Badr Benoun, Ayman Ashraf, Hamdy Fathi Ali Maaloul; Amr El-Sulya, Aliou Dieng, Akram Tawfik; Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Hussein El-Shahat, Percy Tau.
Raja’s XI: Anas Zniti; Abdelilah Madkour, Marouane Hadhoudi, Jamal Harkass, Abdeljalil Jbira; Fabrice Ngoma, Zakaria El Wardi, Mohsen Metwally, Abdelilah Hafidi, Mahmoud Benhalib; Hamid Ahadad.
The Red Devils entered the game on the strong foot, dominating the first 10 minutes of the game; however, it was the Moroccans who managed to break the deadlock through Zamalek loanee Hamid Ahdaad.
In the 13th minute, right back Abdelilah Madkour led Raja Casablanca’s counter-attack, before his cross inside the penalty area couldn’t be cleared by Yasser Ibrahim for Ahaddad to tap it in to give Raja an early lead.
Al Ahly tried to respond quickly, and just three minutes later Maaloul sent a cross inside the penalty area, which was cleared away by the keeper before the rebound was met by El-Shahat, but the keeper was there once again to deny the Reds a quick equaliser.
Apart from these two chances, neither side created any more clear-cut chances in the remaining minutes of the first half as Raja parked the bus and watched the Reds passing the ball around.
It was after the half-time when Al Ahly became more aggressive towards the goal, especially after Mosimane brought on striker Mohamed Sherif for defender Ayman Ashraf.
The Reds, therefore, imposed their pressure and style of play to try and snatch a quick equalizer after the break and this became even more clear when El-Shahat was brought off for Ahmed Abdelkader.
Sherif and Abdelkader changed the pace of the game and this resulted in Al Ahly’s first real chance of the game when Mohamed Magdy Afsha found the ball on the edge of the box, but his long-range effort was caught by Zniti.
Al Ahly then had a penalty shout after Percy Tau’s cross clearly hit Marouane Hadhoudi’s hand, but the referee refused to go consult the VAR.
In the 77th minute, Mosimane made his last substitution when he brought on Taher Mohamed Taher for Yasser Ibrahim, before Percy Tau going through on goal after a ball from Mohamed Sherif, but the South African’s effort went wide.
And as Raja thought they clinched the title, the Red Devils’ pressure proved to be fruitful as they finally managed to score the equalizer in the 90th minute through Taher Mohamed.
Mohamed Sherif found Afsha inside the penalty box but the latter’s shot was parried away by the keeper, but Tau was there for the follow-up, but instead of shooting, he took a more unselfish route and passed it to the open Taher Mohamed Taher, who made it 1-1.
Al Ahly tried to find the winner in the remaining few minutes, but there wasn’t enough time as the game was sent to penalty shootouts.
Al Ahly scored their five initial attempts through Ali Maaloul, Badr Benoun, Percy Tau, Mohamed Abdelkader, and Taher Mohamed, and the same happened for Raja, who scored through Mohamed Zrida, Zakaria El-Wardi, Marouane Hadhoudi, Mahmoud Benhalib, and Mohsen Metwally.
This meant that the cup will be decided with sudden death, in which Akram Tawfik stepped up to take the sixth penalty and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to give his side an advantage.
Raja’s left-back Abdelilah Madkour was the one to take Raja’s final penalty but his shot went way wide and was unable to hit the target, handing Al Ahly their eighth Super Cup.
Not only Al Ahly have lifted the Super Cup for a record eighth time, but they have reached their 25th international trophy, sitting just one behind European giants Real Madrid.
Moreover, Pitso Mosimane has become the first Al Ahly manager to win the CAF Champions League and the CAF Super Cup for two successive times since Manuel Jose in 2007.
-kingfut
In Maputo, Mozambican champions Black Bulls secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Nigeria’s Rivers United in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second-round encounter on Saturday.
The tightly contested match was characterized by tactical discipline and limited clear-cut chances, as both sides struggled to find attacking rhythm in the opening half.
However, the breakthrough came just five minutes into the second half, when Moctar Diallo pounced to slot home for the hosts, finally breaching Rivers United’s defensive line.
Despite late pressure from the Nigerian side, Black Bulls held firm to protect their narrow advantage, giving themselves a crucial edge ahead of the return leg.
Rivers United, Nigeria’s sole remaining representative in the competition, will now need to overturn the deficit when the teams meet again in Port Harcourt, where a win by at least two clear goals will be required to advance to the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
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By Kunle Solaja
Two decades after their last visit ended in defeat, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns will return to Abeokuta this Sunday to face Nigeria’s Remo Stars in the first leg of the second-round clash of the CAF Champions League — Africa’s premier interclub competition.
The encounter sets up a battle between two clubs with sharply contrasting pedigree and experience.
For Remo Stars, it marks their first-ever appearance in the second round of any continental competition. For Mamelodi Sundowns, it is another step in their quest to reassert dominance on the continent — as former African champions and runners-up in last season’s edition.
Mamelodi Sundowns are 15 times South African league champions and obviously the country’s most successful club.
In many ways, Sunday’s game extends the long-standing football rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa. While the Super Eagles hold the upper hand in national team contests, South Africa’s strength at club level — especially through Sundowns — tells a different story.
Indeed, the recent World Cup qualifying triumph over Rwanda, which secured South Africa’s ticket to the 2026 finals, underlined the domestic foundation of their success. All 11 Bafana Bafana starters were home-based, with five players — including captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams — coming from Mamelodi Sundowns. Others were Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Thapelo Morena, and Teboho Mokoena.
Sunday’s fixture will revive memories of Sundowns’ last competitive appearance in Abeokuta. In August 2001, they were beaten 2-0 by Julius Berger FC of Lagos during a CAF Champions League group stage encounter played at the MKO Abiola Stadium.
Much has changed since then. The Pretoria-based side have evolved into one of Africa’s football powerhouses — winning the CAF Champions League in 2016, finishing as runners-up in the most recent edition, and representing Africa at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States earlier this year.
They currently top the South African Betway Premiership with six wins, three draws, and one defeat from ten matches — the only team to have played that many games.
In contrast, Remo Stars are still finding their rhythm in the Nigeria Premier Football League, sitting 13th on the table — a far cry from the dominance of their visitors. Yet, football thrives on surprises, and the “Sky Blue Stars” from Ikenne will hope to play the role of David in this modern-day clash with Goliath.
If Remo Stars can capitalize on home advantage in Abeokuta and secure a respectable lead, they might just have a fighting chance in the return leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on October 26.
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By Kunle Solaja
South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns, will face significant injury concerns when they take on Nigerian champions, Remo Stars, in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second-round tie in Abeokuta on Sunday.
They will be without one of their most versatile players, Thapelo Morena, who suffered an injury in the 35th minute of Bafana Bafana’s crucial 3-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying victory over Rwanda earlier in the week. Morena, known for his pace and flexibility as both winger and fullback, limped off and was later confirmed to be unavailable for the weekend’s continental assignment.
Adding to the team’s worries is striker Iqraam Rayners, who has reportedly been withdrawn from the squad for medical reasons. Rayners, one of the club’s dependable attacking options, was expected to provide additional firepower in the forward line, but his absence leaves a void that coach Rulani Mokwena must quickly address.
There are also concerns about residual fatigue among several first-team players who featured heavily during the just-concluded international window. With South Africa’s World Cup qualification now secured, many Sundowns players have had little rest before returning to the rigours of continental club football.
Another long-term absentee is Themba Zwane, the influential playmaker whose creativity and experience have been sorely missed. Despite his absence, Mamelodi Sundowns have shown their remarkable squad depth — a quality that has kept them at the summit of the South African Betway Premiership and made them perennial favourites in Africa’s top club competition.
Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-3 Formation)
Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams
Right Back: Khuliso Mudau
Centre Backs: Keanu Cupido, Malibongwe Khoza
Left Back: (To be decided, possibly Aubrey Modiba)
Midfielders: Marcelo Allende, Teboho Mokoena
Forwards: Kutlwano Letlhaku, Jayden Adams, Arthur Sales, Peter Shalulile
As the South Africans prepare for their return to Abeokuta — their first visit since their 2-0 defeat to Julius Berger FC in August 2001 — the injury setbacks could influence how they approach the crucial first leg against a Remo Stars side eager to cause an upset.
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