Wydad Casablanca beat Al Ahly to win 2022 Caf Champions League title in Casablanca
The Moroccan side utilized the home advantage despite playing as the away side to break Al Ahly’s dominance in the African Champions League. Ahly had won the last two finals after beating their local rivals Zamalek two seasons ago and Kaizer Chiefs last term before eyed a third this season against Wydad Athletic Club.
However, the Egyptian giants missed out a third straight CAF Champions League title after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Wydad Casablanca in the final on Monday night.
Pitso Mosimane’s side were without a long list of players includig Akram Tawfiq, Ammar Hamdi, Badr Banon, Michisoni and Mohamed Abdel Moneim. However, Pitso Mosimane did have superstars Mohamed El-Shennawy, Percy Tau, Ali Dieng, Mohamed Afsha and Mohamed Sherif at his disposal.
The hosts threatened first in the 10th minute and came within inches of opening the scoring when Yahya Jabrane fed Guy Mbenza, whose shot cannoned back off the upright.
Wydad took the lead five minutes later. Aymane El Hassouni laid the ball off to Zouheir El Moutaraji, who struck a powerful effort from outside the box on his right foot into the top left corner.
Ahly sought to respond with a vengeance as Hussein El Shahat was released by a clever through ball from Ali Maloul but saw his shot blocked. Maloul was at the centre of things for the Egyptians as next his corner found an unmarked Yasser Ibrahim, whose headed was close but missed the left hand corner by inches.
Guy Mbenza, Wydad’s Congolese forward, hit the side netting from the angle on the right-hand side of the box as Ahly breathed a sigh of relief.
Wydad won a free-kick on the edge of the box on the stroke of half-time when Hamdy Fathy brought down Mbenza. Jalal Daoudi’s free kick went just wide of the left-hand upright.
The Moroccans were enjoying just over 30 percent of the possession, which has been a feature of their campaign and were more than happy to sit back and break on the counter-attack when the opportunity presented itself.
One such break down the right saw the ball delivered behind the back of the Al Ahly defence and to the back post for El Moutaraji, whose initial effort was saved before he put the rebound into the roof of the net to double the lead.
Wydad survived a scare with ten minutes to go. Sherif got on the end of an excellent cross into the box from the right but the effort was brilliantly blocked by Ayoub El Amloud.
Mosimane’s men were knocking on the door and loudly as next Percy Tau was played through on goal and just when he was about to pull the trigger the keeper came out and took the ball off his feet.
To add insult to injury Ahly saw Rami Rabia sent off as Wydad saw out the game comfortably backed by their boisterous supporters who went into delirium at the sound of the final whistle.
