CAF Champions League
Ahly hunts for record extending 11th as Wydad hope in home fortunes for number three
North African giants Al Ahly and Wydad Athletic Club meet up at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca in the final of the CAF Champions League final on Monday night for the 11th time, each with varied dreams and ambitions.
The two remnants of a grueling and competitive 2021-22 season are angling for each other’s necks, two years after their last meeting.
Ahly are in search of a record extending 11th Champions League title and a record third in a row, while Wydad are in search of their third piece of continental kingship, five years after they won their second.
The Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca will offer the platform for this epic battle between Africa’s best as the entire continent sits on the edge of their seats, keen to see who will blink first.
Wydad will feel the wind of favor slightly blowing their way as the final is hosted in their home turf, a stadium where they have lost only once in their last 15 matches across all competitions.
The Moroccan giants are playing the final for the third time since their last conquest in 2017, where coincidentally, they beat Ahly in the final, when it was still a two-legged affair.
After back-to-back losses in the semis over the last two seasons, the red Castles believe it is their time to be crowned kings of the continent with head coach Walid Regragui seeking his first continental title with the side, having been appointed last season.
Ahly on the other hand are in race with history. They completed the coveted La Ashara last season winning their 10th continental title, but the hunger for one more is as fresh as their hunger for the 10th.
They could also make history by winning the title for a third consecutive time while head coach Pitso Mosimane is looking to become only the second coach to win the Champions League four times.
Head-to-head record
These two sides have met 10 times before with Ahly standing tall on head to head record, having won four times and lost two, the remaining four ending in draws. Half of Ahly’s wins have come away, while they have also lost an equal number in Morocco. One of the four draws was also in Morocco.
Their last meeting was during the 2019-20 season where they met in the semi-finals of the Champions League, Ahly sweeping away both home and away assignments. They won 2-0 at the Mohamed V Complex before finishing the job in Cairo with a 3-1 victory.
However, both these matches were played behind closed doors as it was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their 2017 meeting in the final where Wydad won their second and most recent title ended in a 2-1 victory for the Moroccans. They drew 1-1 in the first leg before Walid El Karti scored the winner in a 1-0 result in Casablanca.
Still in that season, coach Mosimane faced Wydad, when he was coach at Mamelodi Sundowns as they lost 3-2 on penalties in the quarter finals. They had won 1-0 at home but lost by a similar margin in the return tie in Casablanca to force the game to penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
Players to watch
Al Ahly:
South African Percy Tau, signed from English Premier League side Brighton has proved worth every penny. He was the star of the show in the semi-final victory over ES Setif, scoring twice and assisting the other two in their first leg 4-0 win, and also laid one assist in the 2-2 draw away from home.
Overall, Tau has been directly involved in eight goals (three goals, five assists) this season, the highest since Trésor Mputu for TP Mazembe in 2018-19 (9 – four goals, five assists).
Defensively, the leadership from Mohamed Elshenawy from the back can never be taken for granted, and the shot stopper is expected to play an equally crucial role especially in a game where they come up against a side that is full of attacking prowess.
Wydad
With four goals so far in the tournament as a midfielder, Yahya Jabrane has been the bedrock of Wydad’s campaign this season. His influence especially moving forward has been phenomenal, and his ability to open even the tightest of defenses has been key for the Moroccan side.
If Wydad are to destabilize Ahly’s game plan, then Jebrane will be the man to pull the trigger on the gun that shoots down their defensive shape.
Congolese forward Guy Mbenza is also one to watch out for, and his huge frame is expected to birth out a massive clash against the Ahgly backline marshalled by Mohamed Abdelmonem.
CAF Champions League
Brazil’s Ribeiro Costa Gone, Rivalry Renewed: Mamelodi Sundowns Reshape Squad Before Remo Stars Showdown
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Mamelodi’s talismanic Brazilian player, Lucas Ribeiro Costa has made a sudden departure from the club which is well known for its Brazil-styled football attire. The departure of the player has forced a tactical reset at Sundowns ahead of the CAF Champions League second round clash with Remo Stars.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s champions, Remo Stars, are bracing up for a titanic CAF Champions League second-round showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa — a fixture that not only promises fireworks on the pitch but also rekindles one of African football’s most intense rivalries.
The first leg of the tie will take place in Abeokuta, the temporary home ground of Remo Stars with the return fixture scheduled for South Africa.
Sundowns, are continental heavyweights — former African champions and perennial campaigners known for their fluid attacking football.
However, the South Africans will enter this contest amid tactical reshuffling following the shock departure of Ribeiro, their Brazilian talisman and last season’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Year.
New coach Miguel Cardoso has acknowledged the impact of Ribeiro’s exit but insists the Tshwane-based side are evolving into a more unified team rather than relying on individual brilliance.
“No player will replace Lucas because that’s not what we are looking for,” Cardoso told reporters after Sundowns’ first league loss of the season.
“We are looking to reinforce the team and make it completely different. Ribeiro was unique, but now we must play more as a collective.”
Cardoso revealed that Sundowns have recruited Portuguese playmaker Nuno Santos from Vitória Guimarães and are closing in on another Portuguese midfielder, Miguel Reisinho, to enhance their creative options.
Despite this transition phase, the South African champions remain formidable, boasting one of the continent’s most technically balanced squads. Their clash with Nigeria’s Remo Stars — debutants in this elite stage — offers a fascinating contrast between experience and ambition.
Beyond the football itself, the fixture taps into a storied Nigeria–South Africa rivalry that has shaped African football narratives for decades — from national team duels at the Africa Cup of Nations to club-level battles in CAF competitions.
Matches between sides from both nations have often been fierce, emotionally charged, and symbolic of continental supremacy.
For Remo Stars, this encounter represents both a massive test and an opportunity to make a statement.
The Ikenne-based side, known for their youthful energy and tactical discipline, will aim to upset the odds against one of Africa’s richest and most accomplished clubs.
Their head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, is expected to lean on the attacking prowess of Adams Olamilekan and the creativity of Ebuka Anthony to breach Sundowns’ disciplined defence.
With pride, prestige, and progression on the line, all eyes will be on the two legs of this Nigeria–South Africa contest — a battle that goes beyond footballing tactics to touch the nerve of a continental rivalry steeped in passion and history.
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Rivers United have advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after defeating Les Aigles of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1–0 in the return leg on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Following a goalless stalemate in the first leg in Kinshasa, the Nigerian side sealed progression on a 1–0 aggregate scoreline, thanks to a first-half strike that proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter.
The win sends Rivers United into the second preliminary round, where they will face the winner of the tie between AC Léopards of Congo and Black Bulls of Mozambique.
With this result, Rivers United join Remo Stars in the second round of the CAF Champions League.
The next round is scheduled to hold between October 17 and 26, while the group stage kicks off in November
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Remo Stars have sealed their passage into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after edging Comoros’ US Zilimadjou 1–0 in Abeokuta on Friday, completing an emphatic 5–0 aggregate victory.
Forward Alex Oyowah struck the decisive goal in the 74th minute, calmly converting from the penalty spot to settle the return leg at the MKO Abiola International Stadium.
With a four-goal cushion from the first leg in – courtesy of strikes from Lamine Ndenge, Ebuka Anthony, Adams Goïta and Seun Olasupo – coach Daniel Ogunmodede’s side approached the second leg tie with composure and tactical discipline.
Despite Zilimadjou’s spirited attempt to salvage pride, Remo Stars’ organisation off the ball ensured the visitors rarely threatened.
The Sky Blue Stars grew in confidence as the game wore on, controlling possession and protecting their clean sheet before Oyowah’s late strike put the result beyond doubt.
The Nigerian side will now brace for a tougher test in October when they meet South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in what promises to be one of the glamour fixtures of the next round.
Other return-leg fixtures across the continent are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with the full line-up for the second preliminary round to be confirmed thereafter.
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