- Both Wydad and Ahly drew the return leg matches
- The final is scheduled to be played in Morocco
- Ahly have protested the decision to play the final in Wydad’s home country
Defending champions Al Ahly will take on Wydad Athletic Club in the final of the CAF Champions League after both sides earned tickets to the finale despite draws in their semi-final return leg matches.
Wydad were held to a 1-1 draw by Petro de Luanda in Casablanca while Ahly played to a 2-2 draw away to Algeria’s ES Setif.
The final has been scheduled for Morocco, but Ahly have strongly protested the decision especially coming just after the first leg semis were played. Ahly have gone to the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) to protest the decision and are awaiting a ruling.
Meanwhile on the pitch, Ahly had already sealed one foot into the final after thrashing Setif 4-0 in the first leg in Cairo last weekend. In the return tie, Setif were determined to bow out with a fight, but Mohamed Sherif scraped a draw for Ahly with a late equalizer.
The Egyptian Red Devils had a great start to the match and went into the lead after two minytes when Percy Tau played a quick interchange of passes with Ahmed Abdelkader before the latter finished off superbly inside the box.
Action between Ahly and Setif
But the home side gave a fight and wanted to bow out with respect. They equalized at the stroke of halftime through Ahmed Kendouci’s brilliant strike which it the underside of the bar before rolling into the net.
In the second half, the home side continued with their fight and they went into the lead on the hour mark through another brilliant strike, this time Riad Benayad coming in with the goals.
The forward struck another long range shot that dipped just infront of Mohamed Elshenawy, evading his grasp.
Despite increased efforts to score a third, Ahly defended well. They put the game to rest at the stroke of fulltime when Tau played another brilliant through pass to Sheriff, the number 10 doing the simple task of sliding it beyond the keeper.
In Casablanca, Wydad played to a 1-1 draw against a determined Petro, who had lost the first leg 3-1 at home last weekend.
The Angolans who were seeking their first ever qualification to the final came into the match needing a huge performance to overturn the first leg defeat and they were off to a fast start off the blocks.
Wydad players celebrate their win
They had the first threat at goal in the 17th minute when skipper and top scorer Tiago Azulao quickly turned from range, but his shot rose inches over the bar. Three minutes later they however broke the deadlock with a brilliant goal from Gleison who struck a superb left footed shot from the edge of the area.
The home side were woken from their slow start and pushed on by the capacity home crowd, drew level in the 28th minute when defender Farhane sneaked in to head a corner from Yahia Attiyat Allah.
The goal put off Petro’s calculations as they knew a second goal would have put them at an advantage. They however kept the fight and had a sniff at goal in the 37th minute when Azulao twisted and turned inside the box but his eventual shot was deflected wide.
In the second half, Petro came out all guns blazing with Azulao twice trying his luck from distance, but couldn’t get a second goal for his side.
In the 75th minute they came close when Yano went for another scorching long ranger, but the effort was wide. Anderson Cruz also had a chance with a shot from the left but it was saved by the keeper.
At the death, Petro should have scored a winner on the night but Wydad keeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti made a superb double save to block a shot from Cruz and the rebound from Job.
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