CAF Champions League
Ahly hunts for record extending 11th as Wydad hope in home fortunes for number three
North African giants Al Ahly and Wydad Athletic Club meet up at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca in the final of the CAF Champions League final on Monday night for the 11th time, each with varied dreams and ambitions.
The two remnants of a grueling and competitive 2021-22 season are angling for each other’s necks, two years after their last meeting.
Ahly are in search of a record extending 11th Champions League title and a record third in a row, while Wydad are in search of their third piece of continental kingship, five years after they won their second.
The Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca will offer the platform for this epic battle between Africa’s best as the entire continent sits on the edge of their seats, keen to see who will blink first.
Wydad will feel the wind of favor slightly blowing their way as the final is hosted in their home turf, a stadium where they have lost only once in their last 15 matches across all competitions.
The Moroccan giants are playing the final for the third time since their last conquest in 2017, where coincidentally, they beat Ahly in the final, when it was still a two-legged affair.
After back-to-back losses in the semis over the last two seasons, the red Castles believe it is their time to be crowned kings of the continent with head coach Walid Regragui seeking his first continental title with the side, having been appointed last season.
Ahly on the other hand are in race with history. They completed the coveted La Ashara last season winning their 10th continental title, but the hunger for one more is as fresh as their hunger for the 10th.
They could also make history by winning the title for a third consecutive time while head coach Pitso Mosimane is looking to become only the second coach to win the Champions League four times.
Head-to-head record
These two sides have met 10 times before with Ahly standing tall on head to head record, having won four times and lost two, the remaining four ending in draws. Half of Ahly’s wins have come away, while they have also lost an equal number in Morocco. One of the four draws was also in Morocco.
Their last meeting was during the 2019-20 season where they met in the semi-finals of the Champions League, Ahly sweeping away both home and away assignments. They won 2-0 at the Mohamed V Complex before finishing the job in Cairo with a 3-1 victory.
However, both these matches were played behind closed doors as it was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their 2017 meeting in the final where Wydad won their second and most recent title ended in a 2-1 victory for the Moroccans. They drew 1-1 in the first leg before Walid El Karti scored the winner in a 1-0 result in Casablanca.
Still in that season, coach Mosimane faced Wydad, when he was coach at Mamelodi Sundowns as they lost 3-2 on penalties in the quarter finals. They had won 1-0 at home but lost by a similar margin in the return tie in Casablanca to force the game to penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
Players to watch
Al Ahly:
South African Percy Tau, signed from English Premier League side Brighton has proved worth every penny. He was the star of the show in the semi-final victory over ES Setif, scoring twice and assisting the other two in their first leg 4-0 win, and also laid one assist in the 2-2 draw away from home.
Overall, Tau has been directly involved in eight goals (three goals, five assists) this season, the highest since Trésor Mputu for TP Mazembe in 2018-19 (9 – four goals, five assists).
Defensively, the leadership from Mohamed Elshenawy from the back can never be taken for granted, and the shot stopper is expected to play an equally crucial role especially in a game where they come up against a side that is full of attacking prowess.
Wydad
With four goals so far in the tournament as a midfielder, Yahya Jabrane has been the bedrock of Wydad’s campaign this season. His influence especially moving forward has been phenomenal, and his ability to open even the tightest of defenses has been key for the Moroccan side.
If Wydad are to destabilize Ahly’s game plan, then Jebrane will be the man to pull the trigger on the gun that shoots down their defensive shape.
Congolese forward Guy Mbenza is also one to watch out for, and his huge frame is expected to birth out a massive clash against the Ahgly backline marshalled by Mohamed Abdelmonem.
CAF Champions League
Heartbreak for Al Ahly as Sundowns edge to CAF Champions League final on away goals rule
Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a dramatic spot in the final of the CAF Champions League after holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Cairo on Friday night, progressing on the away goals rule.
After a tense 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, it was Al Ahly who drew first blood in the return leg at the Cairo International Stadium.
Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, smashing home from outside the box after being teed up by the lively Emam Ashour.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first period and looked on course to finally break their winless streak against the South Africans.
But Mamelodi Sundowns showed their resilience and turned the tie on its head in the closing stages.
With ten minutes remaining, a low cross caused panic in the Ahly defence, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who knew a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through.
Al Ahly threw everything forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both going close in a frantic finale.
But Sundowns, marshalled superbly by their backline and aided by a bit of fortune, held firm to seal a famous qualification.
It marks a significant milestone for Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions.
Sundowns’ reward is a place in the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates — with the second semi-final set to be decided later.
For Al Ahly, it was a night of bitter disappointment despite their brave efforts, as their dream of a record-extending CAF Champions League title came to a crashing halt at home.
-CAF
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CAF Champions League
Late Mayele heroics send Pyramids into historic first final after five-goal thriller
The Egyptian side Pyramids sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando Pirates in Cairo on Friday night to book their place in the final of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history.
After a goalless first leg in Johannesburg, both sides came out determined at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium, and it was Pirates who struck first when Relebohile Mofokeng slotted home from close range midway through the first half.
The lead, however, was short-lived. Pyramids levelled just before half-time, with Fiston Mayele pouncing on a cross from Mostafa Fathi to restore parity.
The end-to-end nature of the contest continued after the break, and Pirates regained the advantage when Mohau Nkota fired in a superb low drive on 52 minutes.
Yet the Egyptian side showed their resolve in front of their home fans. Ramadan Sobhi rose highest to meet a Mohamed Chibi cross, heading past Sipho Chaine to make it 2-2 just moments later.
The decisive moment came with just six minutes remaining.
After a goalmouth scramble from a corner, Mayele reacted quickest, hammering the ball into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations among the home faithful.
Despite late pressure from the South African visitors, including efforts from Tshegofatso Mabasa and Relebohile Mofokeng, Pyramids held on to secure a famous win and extend their remarkable unbeaten home record to 23 matches.
The result means Pyramids will face Mamelodi Sundowns, who earlier eliminated Al Ahly on away goals, in what promises to be a mouth-watering final.
For Orlando Pirates, it was a brave effort but one that ultimately fell short, ending their hopes of a second CAF Champions League title.
-CAF
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Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns are set for a blockbuster clash on Friday night at Cairo International Stadium as they battle for a place in the final of the CAF Champions League.
With the first leg in Pretoria ending goalless, everything is still to play for in this highly anticipated second-leg encounter.
Despite Al Ahly’s rich history and dominance in African club football, Sundowns have held the upper hand in recent meetings.
The South African giants are unbeaten in their last eight matches against the Cairo club, scoring 11 goals and conceding just five in that run.
Al Ahly have not defeated Sundowns since May 2021 and will be looking to overturn that trend on home soil.
The hosts have been rock solid at the back in this season’s Champions League, keeping three consecutive clean sheets.
Their defensive resilience will be key once again, especially against a Sundowns side that has failed to score in its last 216 minutes of continental action.
Peter Shalulile, with three goals to his name in the tournament, remains the Brazilians’ biggest threat up front.
Midfielder Emam Ashour has been pivotal to Al Ahly’s campaign, scoring five times — joint-highest in the competition — and will be expected to spark the attack once more.
Home advantage could prove crucial for the Egyptians.
They are unbeaten in their last six home games across all competitions and boast three wins from four home matches in this CAF Champions League campaign.
Sundowns, meanwhile, have struggled on the road, managing just one win in four away matches this season.
With a place in the final at stake, both sides will be pushing to make their mark in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-intensity clash under the Cairo lights.
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