CAF Champions League: a royal plateau for the semi-finals

The official ball of the Champions League on display at CAF headquarters. © Courtesy of CAF

Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

2 min

Espérance Tunis - Al Ahly and Wydad-Mamelodi. The semi-finals first leg of the African Champions League, which are played on Friday and Saturday, will pit four clubs sacred in the last 7 editions.

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The best of African club football will happen over the next two days and in a week, for the return matches. Semi-finals that pit the winners of the last seven editions against each other. CAF could not have dreamed better, nor could the followers.

This Friday at 19h GMT, Esperance of Tunis hosts Al Ahly for the clash between regulars of the high spheres of football, African clubs. But the Tunisians will have to do without their supporters after the suspension of the stadium of Rades following the incidents during the quarter-final against JS Kabylie.

The match remains open between two teams that have won the trophy twice in the last five years. Tunisians in 2018 and 2019, Egyptians in 2020 and 2021. The latter are experienced in victory in C1 since they have already won the Cup 10 times, a record, and played 15 finals, including the last three. This is the third time the two clubs have faced each other in the semi-finals of the Champions League and Al Ahly lead by two wins to one.

The precious Bouly Sambou

Unlike previous years, both formations have not been imperial during their journeys. The Egyptians even had to wait until the last day of the group stage to snatch their qualification for the quarter-finals. It has been less stressful for the Tunisians, but Maloul's men are conspicuous by their offensive inefficiency with only 10 goals scored in 10 matches since the start of their C1 campaign.

In the second semi-final, Wydad, defending champions, remain armed to repeat their feat accomplished under the orders of the current coach of Morocco, Walid Regragui. The Casablanca club meets Mamelodi Sundowns they have already met 10 times, but this will be only the second time in the semi-finals after 2019. If they no longer have Regragui, the Wydad players, who are flying at the Mohamed-V stadium, have Junior Bouly Sambou, powerful striker, fast and especially scorer. The 24-year-old Senegalese is currently leading the best artificers of the Champions League with 7 goals.

For Sundowns, the last club from sub-Saharan Africa to have won the trophy (2016), the mission is far from impossible. The South Africans will be able to count on their captain and guide Themba Zwane, the only player who was present at Mamelodi's coronation seven years ago.

The Semi-Finals Programme (TU)

Friday, May 12

Espérance Tunis (TUN) - Al Ahly (EGY) 19pm

Saturday, May 13

Wydad Casablanca (MAR) - Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) 19pm

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  • CAF Champions League
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