Al Ahly and Wydad, now a classic of African football. The two teams left last year after Wydad’s victory (2-0) against Al Ahly, they find themselves once again in the final of the flagship competition of African club football. This time, over two rounds, given the return of CAF to this model. The first leg, won by the Egyptians (2-1), kept all its promises and leads us to a return match which promises to be explosive in a week in Casablanca.
Having not digested the final of last season, which was played in a single match, on supposedly “neutral” ground in Casablanca, against Wydad (which had sparked controversy), Al Ahly is more than vindictive. On the road to an eleventh continental title, Ahly found himself back against the wall during the group stages.
The giant of Cairo had sunk during his trip to South Africa against the Sundowns (5-1), and would undoubtedly have been eliminated with a penalty close not converted by the Congolese international Lilepo, striker of Al Hilal against the Sundowns (0-0). The authorization of the Egyptian authorities for the presence of 50,000 supporters at the National Stadium in Cairo will have reinvigorated Al Ahly, whether during the mini-final against Al Hilal on the 6th day (victory 2-0), same as in the quarter-finals against Raja (2-0 victory). Coach Marcel Koller was able to count on very good performances from Percy Tau, signed from Brighton for a fee of 2 million euros, playing a key role after a difficult previous season. With five goals and five assists, the South African striker asserts himself along with El Shahat (4 goals and 3 assists) and striker Kahaba (six goals and one assist), as one of new attacking leaders of Al Ahly and easily made the powder speak against ES Tunis in the semi-finals. First in the championship with a point ahead of Pyramids FC and five games to catch up, the title of Egyptian champion seems promised to Al Ahly, also in the running for the national cup.
After many trying months since the end of the Pitso Mosimane era, Al Ahly seems to be back where it is expected, far ahead of Zamalek, in the midst of a crisis for several seasons now. Suffice to say that Al Ahly is able to achieve again a season that will remain in the annals of the club.
Following the departure of Walid Regragui, WAC AC have had no less than five coaches (including an interim) this season, while, paradoxically, remaining in a position to win a hat-trick that would be unprecedented in the club’s history. The club then tried the Mehdi Nafti bet which only lasted twelve games, then the return of the Spaniard Juan Carlos Garrido who lasted fourteen games and was unconvinced despite an honorable balance sheet.
To end the season, the club set its sights on Belgian coach Sven Vandenbroeck. Assistant coach of Cameroon winner of CAN 2017, this 43-year-old coach is gradually building a solid reputation on the continent, with two successful stints on the benches of Simba SC (Tanzania) and FAR Rabat, which he helped to install in the Moroccan top 3. With very little time to prove themselves, the second leg against Mamelodi Sundowns (draw 2-2, qualification on away goal), in what was arguably the game of the season in Africa, marked the spirits. Managing to bring out the most impressive team on the continent certainly boosted the confidence of a team which, despite the results, often showed an unconvincing face. A certainty, this team displays a mental of steel to remain in contention on all the grounds.
In a packed national stadium, Al Ahly knew how to set a frantic pace from the first moments. Faced with resistance from Morocco, we were heading for a 0-0 at the break, after a huge missed chance from Jaadi for the visitors who came out of the water in the last quarter of an hour. But Percy Tau’s opener (45’3) on a brilliant El Shahat serve decided otherwise.
Back on the lawn, the WAC will deliver a little more and will once again be sanctioned, this time by Kahraba on a new decisive pass from El Shahat, but also an error of assessment by goalkeeper El Motie, understudy of the globalist Tagnatoui, injured. Following a superb performance against Sundowns, he was called up for the first time by Regragui. As we headed for a significant victory for Al Ahly, the Wydadis, once again, let their minds speak. Having just entered the game, the Bouhra midfielder, on a collective movement resulting in a tumble from El Amloud deflected by Bouly Sambou, air-conditioned a whole stadium (86 ‘).
With this result, a 1-0 victory in the return would be enough to retain the title of African champion. However, faced with a team forced to go for the victory, the speed of the forwards of Al Ahly is quite able to hurt outside, which promises a very tactical match at the Mohamed VI stadium. Note the fantastic performance of the goalkeeper of the day Mostafa Shobeir for Al Ahly. Third in the hierarchy behind El Shenawy and Ali Lotfi, this club-trained player confirms the long tradition of Egyptian goalkeepers by responding in a context that is far from obvious. Certainly a player with a promising future. For African football, we must note and salute the quality of the football offered between these two teams, which in the company of the Mamelodis Sundowns set the bar very high this season. The choice to return to a two-legged format also seems justified and the return match promises.
