Egypt s Ahly and Wydad Casablanca will meet in the final of the African Champions League
The defending champion and the club with the most titles are scheduled to lock horns in the final of the African Champions League starting next month, reports Alaa Abdel-Ghani.
Wydad of Morocco will be defending their crown against the record 10-time winner of the tournament, Ahly of Egypt.
Wydad shocked Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa with a 2-2 draw in Pretoria on Saturday, advancing to the final on the away goals rule following a 0-0 draw in Casablanca in the first leg.
Sundowns were one of the heavy favourites for this year’s title but dreams of a second continental title were wrecked.
Ahly made it to the final for the fourth consecutive time in much easier fashion after edging out Tunisia’s Esperance 1-0 in Cairo on Friday night to qualify 4-0 on aggregate.
The tie was pretty much settled after Ahly blanked Esperance 3-0 in Rades.
It will be Wydad’s second consecutive final appearance and their third against Ahly, having beaten them twice in 2017 and 2022, the latter 2-0 in Morocco when the final was just one game. Wydad have three crowns. It will be Ahly’s 16th final appearance, also an African record.
The first leg of the final will take place on 4 June in Cairo. Casablanca plays host on 11 June in Casablanca.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 May, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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