CAF Champions League
Relentless Ahly grind out crucial first-leg win over Al-Hilal in Cairo
Mohamed Hani’s first-half strike was enough to give Ahly a 1-0 victory over Sudan’s Al-Hilal in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday at Cairo International Stadium.
The record 12-time African champions, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive continental title, ended a three-match winless run with a disciplined performance in front of their home crowd.
Hani scored the winner in the 11th minute, firing a powerful left-footed shot into the net after Al-Hilal goalkeeper Issa Fofana failed to hold onto Emam Ashour’s curling cross from the right flank.
Ahly started brightly, nearly opening the scoring earlier through Achraf Bencharki, whose header inside the box was well saved by Fofana in the 8th minute. The home side continued to dominate possession, with Moroccan left-back Yahya Attiat-Allah a frequent outlet on the left.
Emam Ashour, a constant threat, missed a golden opportunity to double Ahly’s lead in the 15th minute when he went one-on-one with the keeper, only to be denied again by Fofana.
Despite their early control, the Egyptian giants were unable to add to their lead, and Al-Hilal gradually grew into the game. Jean Claude Girumugisha had the visitors’ best chance just before the break, but his low shot from inside the area was comfortably handled by Mohamed El Shennawy.
Al-Hilal, forced to play their home fixtures in Mauritania due to the conflict in Sudan, showed resilience and commitment but struggled to create clear chances. Coach Florent Ibenge made a double substitution just past the hour mark to inject fresh energy, introducing Adama Coulibaly and Abdelrazig Omer.
Girumugisha came close again in the 77th minute, dragging a shot narrowly wide from the right side of the box, while Ahly substitute Nejc Gradisar tested Al-Hilal with a low effort that drifted past the post.
Late yellow cards for Rabia and Omar Kamal reflected the intensity of the closing stages, but Ahly held firm through six minutes of added time.
The win puts Ahly in a favourable position heading into the return leg, as they chase a record-extending 13th CAF Champions League crown.
Al-Hilal, who topped their group despite challenging circumstances, will need a stronger offensive display in the second leg if they are to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2015.
-Ahram
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CAF Champions League
Adel and Mayele star as Pyramids seize commanding first-leg lead over FAR Rabat
Pyramids FC put one foot in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League with a commanding 4-1 victory over FAR Rabat in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Tuesday night at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.
The Egyptian side stormed into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 40 minutes, with Congolese striker Fiston Mayele and winger Ibrahim Adel in inspired form.
Mayele opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, finishing off Mostafa Fathi’s assist, before doubling the lead in the 12th with a close-range finish after a cutback from Adel.
Adel got on the scoresheet himself in the 38th minute, calmly slotting home from the left side of the box after being released by Ramadan Sobhi.
The Moroccan visitors responded just before the break through Abdelfattah Hadraf, who finished from the centre of the box following Youssef El Fahli’s pass.
But any hopes of a comeback were dashed midway through the second half when Adel added his second and Pyramids’ fourth, poking the ball past the keeper after being teed up by Blati Touré in the 67th minute.
Despite late pressure and several changes from FAR Rabat, the hosts saw out the match comfortably and even hit the bar in stoppage time through Fathi.
The dominant win gives Pyramids FC a three-goal cushion ahead of the second leg in Morocco, leaving FAR Rabat with a mountain to climb if they are to overturn the deficit and reach the last four.
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Mamelodi Sundowns’ second CAF Champions League title hopes were agonisingly dashed in the semi-finals last season, with the man who orchestrated the heartache now sitting at the helm of the club that is aiming to emulate the 2016 success under then coach, Pitso Mosimane.
The South Africans have another chance at going all the way this season after the quarter-final draw of the competition saw them paired with Espérance Sportive de Tunis – former club of Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso who guided the Tunisians to a silver medal last season.
The north versus south duel will see the South Africans playing host to the first leg on 2 April, before travelling up north a few days later for the return leg in Tunis on 8 April.
Reacting to facing his former side in the quarter-finals, the Portuguese tactician said he was aware of the magnitude of the opponent and the weight of the fixture, but emphasised the importance of focusing on his sides’ strengths.
“The team changed a little bit now in January. After I left Espérance, I didn’t watch anything regarding how they play. Obviously, I follow the results but not the games. I know they are doing well.
“They are a team with experience and has been reaching the last stages of the Champions League and that has won it several times and always has the will to do well but I think we should worry about ourselves and do well in the two games” cautioned the coach.
“Obviously there are emotions that come to me in the moment. We performed very well while we were there but for the moment, my emotions are with Sundowns and to do well here.
“I know it will be tight no doubt. Last year was very tight but I believe it will be beautiful to see. Both teams play good football, both teams are positive in how they approach the game.
“The ambience in Tunis for the Champions League is beautiful and I hope that it will energise us to do well but also here it is beautiful, so I hope our fans will fill our stadiums and give us the extra energy to get the result” concluded Cardoso.
The CAF Champions League draw produced other intriguing and unpredictable ties, which will see record champions, Al Ahly SC taking on Al Hilal, Pyramids FC facing AS FAR as well as MC Alger against Orlando Pirates.
Following the quarter-final draw, the semi-final line-up was also determined.
The winner of the clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance will face either Al Ahly or Al Hilal, while the victor between MC Alger and Orlando Pirates will meet the winner of the Pyramids versus AS FAR tie.
-CAF
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The draw for the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 CAF Champions League will take place in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, where the eight remaining sides will learn their path to the final.
The four group winners will be drawn against the four runners-up, though they cannot meet the team who advanced to the knockout stage from their pool. The draw for the semi-finals will be conducted at the same time.
Here is a look at the eight remaining teams in the competition.
GROUP WINNERS
AL HILAL
Country: Sudan
Coach: Florent Ibengé (DR Congo)
Best finish: Runners-up 1987, 1992
Al Hilal were forced to play their ‘home’ games in Mauritania due to the conflict in their own country, but topped their pool in fine style with 10 points from a possible 18. Their success has been built around a tight defence, bar a blow-out 4-0 loss to TP Mazembe in their final pool game. They have the experienced Congolese coach Florent Ibengé in charge and have advanced from the group stage for the first time since they reached the semi-finals in 2015.
AS FAR
Country: Morocco
Coach: Alexandre Santos (Portugal)
Best finish: Winners 1985
Moroccan side AS FAR went unbeaten through the pool stage with two wins and four draws, topping the group with 10 points. They were one of only two clubs that did not lose a pool stage game. They have recently appointed Portuguese coach Alexandre Santos. The club were champions in 1985 but have not been this far in the competition since a semi-final showing in 1988.
ESPERANCE SPORTIVE DE TUNIS
Country: Tunisia
Coach: Laurențiu Reghecampf (Romania)
Best finish: Winners 1994, 2011, 2018, 2019
Esperance edged Egyptian side Pyramids on head-to-head to top their pool with 13 points from a possible 18. The duo of South African Elias Mokwana and Tunisian Achref Jabri each grabbed three goals in the pool stages and will be dangermen again. Romanian coach Laurențiu Reghecampf has been in charge since November, with the side losing only one of their 19 fixtures in all competitions since his appointment. This past weekend they lifted the Tunisian Super Cup.
ORLANDO PIRATES
Country: South Africa
Coach: Jose Riveiro (Spain)
Best finish: Winners 1995
Orlando Pirates are into the knockout rounds of the CAF Champions League for the first time since they reached the final in 2013. They have been riding a wave of success under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro and their 14 points from a possible 18 in the pool stage was the highest of any team as they went unbeaten. Their 2-1 win at Al Ahly in their final group game will have given them a huge boost in confidence.
GROUP RUNNERS-UP
AL AHLY
Country: Egypt
Coach: Marcel Koller (Switzerland)
Best finish: Winners 1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24
The record 12-time winners finished runners up to Orlando Pirates but have often stumbled through the pool stages of late, only to turn it on in the knockout rounds and dominate, leading to four titles in the last five years. They have the skill and experience to beat any team, especially over two legs. They are seeking to become the first team ever to lift the trophy three years in a row.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
Country: South Africa
Coach: Miguel Cardoso (Portugal)
Best finish: Winners 2016
Mamelodi Sundowns were runners-up to AS FAR in their group and failed to find their usual fluency up front with five goals scored in their six games. But they too have the experience to navigate the knockout rounds having reached this stage in nine of the previous 10 seasons. They were champions in 2016 but have not been past the semi-finals since.
MC ALGER
Country: Algeria
Coach: Khaled Ben Yahia (Tunisia)
Best finish: Winners 1976
MC Alger secured nine points in their pool to finish runners-up to Al Hilal but did so by scoring only four goals. Their campaign has been built on defence, having conceded just two goals, the least of any side in the pool stages. They were champions in 1976 but have not been past the quarter-finals since then. They hired coach Khaled Ben Yahia in December following the exit of Patrice Beaumelle.
PYRAMIDS FC
Country: Egypt
Coach: Krunoslav Jurčić (Croatia)
Best finish: Group Stage 2023-24
Pyramids FC were the joint leading scorers in the group stage with 14 goals as they finished runners-up in their pool to Esperance.
They reached the knockout rounds for the first time in their second year of competing in the CAF Champions League having exited in the group phase in 2023-24. They are led by Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić, who has been in his post for a little over a year.
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