CAF Champions League: Wydad's big challenge against Al Ahly

Beaten in the first leg in Cairo (1-2), Wydad Casablanca will try to overthrow Al Ahly in Casablanca this Sunday, June 11 for the return final of the Champions League (19h GMT). The Moroccan club is counting on its supporters to retain its title against the Egyptian giant.

Wydad players surround Al Ahly striker Percy Tau during the first leg in Cairo. June 04, 2023. REUTERS - AMR ABDALLAH DALSH

Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

Advertising

Read more

It's a royal final. Certainly the best that could be done in the African Champions League as both teams are used to trusting the summits with 20 finals played (Al Ahly 15, Wydad 5). However, the appointment could have been missed by one or the other of the two formations that did not have a simple course. "This season our campaign has been clearly more difficult than last season, and there have been games where we could have been beaten," said Wydad captain Yahya Jabrane. But (..) the team culture let us know how to win and get through these difficult circumstances. ». Indeed, if it dominated its group, finishing first in front of JS Kabylie, the Moroccan club suffered in the knockout matches. In the quarters, the Casablancans had to pass thanks to penalties-at-goal (1-0; tab: 4-3) after losing the first leg in Tanzania against Simba SC (0-1). In the semi-finals, after conceding the draw at home (0-0), Wydad was virtually eliminated in the 79th minute of the return match against Sundowns before equalizing and reaching the final thanks to the goals scored away (2-2).

The strength of the public

For Al Ahly, the road exit was also narrowly avoided, especially during the group stage. Cairo had to wait until the last day and a 3-0 win over Al Hilal to qualify on the wire thanks to the goal difference at the expense of their opponents of the day. After the pools, the force of habit returned naturally, Al Ahly dominated Raja in the quarters (2-0, 0-0) and Esperance Tunis (3-0; 1-0) in the semis to validate its qualification to a 16th Champions League final, a record.

The course of both teams was reflected in the first leg in Cairo (2-1) with an Egyptian team that dominated almost the entire match, but had to concede a goal that could weigh heavily this Saturday against Wydad. It is this goal by Saifeddine Bouhra, scored in the 86th minute, that gives great hope to the Moroccans who will also count on the support of their 45,000 spectators to make the difference.

Last year, the strength of the public was decisive in the final played over a single match in Casablanca and which saw the victory of Wydadis (2-0). The red fury had swept everything away...

A match of a thousand stories. This is Africa's time. 🏆 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/PS0chslFpM

— TotalEnergies CAFCL - TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC_fr) June 4, 2023

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Read on on the same topics:

  • CAF Champions League
  • Morocco
  • Egypt
  • Football
  • Sports