2017 CAF Champions League Final

2017 CAF Champions League Final
Event 2017 CAF Champions League
Al-Ahly Wydad Casablanca
Egypt Morocco
1 2
on aggregate
First leg
Al-Ahly Wydad Casablanca
1 1
Date 28 October 2017 (2017-10-28)
Venue Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria
Referee Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia)[1]
Attendance 60,000
Second leg
Wydad Casablanca Al-Ahly
1 0
Date 4 November 2017 (2017-11-04)
Venue Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
Referee Bakary Gassama (Gambia)[2]
Attendance 65,000

The 2017 CAF Champions League Final was the final of the 2017 CAF Champions League, the 53rd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Al-Ahly of Egypt and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.[3] The first leg was hosted by Al-Ahly at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on 28 October 2017, while the second leg was hosted by Wydad Casablanca at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on 4 November 2017. The winner earned the right to represent the CAF at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage, as well as play in the 2018 CAF Super Cup against the winner of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup.[4]

After the first leg ended in a 1–1 draw,[5] Wydad Casablanca defeated Al-Ahly 1–0 in the second leg to win 2–1 on aggregate, and were crowned African champions for the second time.[6]

Teams

In the following table, finals until 1996 were in the African Cup of Champions Club era, since 1997 were in the CAF Champions League era.

Team Zone Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Egypt Al-Ahly UNAF (North Africa) 10 (1982, 1983, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013)
Morocco Wydad Casablanca UNAF (North Africa) 2 (1992, 2011)

Al-Ahly is the most successful club with 8 titles reaching a total of eleven finals, winning eight (1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013) and losing two (1983, 2007).

Wydad Casablanca had reached the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs twice, winning one in 1992 and losing another in 2011. They were the first Moroccan side to reach the final of Africa's premier club championship since 2011 and also the only Moroccan side to reach this round since 2002 after Raja Casablanca.

Venues

Borg El Arab Stadium

Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt, hosted the first leg.

The Borg Elarab stadium is a stadium commissioned in 2006 in the Mediterranean Sea resort of Borg elarab; 25 km west of Alexandria, Egypt. It is the largest stadium in Egypt and the second largest in Africa (after FNB Stadium in Johannesburg) with a capacity of 86,000[7] and is an all-seater. It is also the 27th largest stadium in the world, and the 9th largest association football stadium in the world. It is located on the Cairo-Alexandria desert highway 10 km from Borg Elarab Airport and 15 km from Alexandria's city centre. A running track runs around the pitch, and the ground has four large floodlights. Only one stand is covered by a roof.

Stade Mohammed V

Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca,Morocco, hosted the second leg.

The Stade Mohammed V (Arabic: مركب محمد الخامس‎) is part of a big athletic complex situated in the heart of the city of Casablanca, Morocco, in the western part of Casablanca district. It was inaugurated March 6, 1955, and currently has a capacity of 67,000.

The stadium's record attendance of 100,000[8] was set in 1997, in a football match between Raja Casablanca and their rivals Wydad.

Often hosting the games of the Morocco national football team, the Mohammed V Stadium is equally known as the home of Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca. It is named after King Mohammed V of Morocco.

Road to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Egypt Al-Ahly Round Morocco Wydad Casablanca
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Qualifying rounds Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
South Africa Bidvest Wits 1–0 1–0 (H) 0–0 (A) First round Gabon CF Mounana 1–1 (5–4 p) 1–0 (H) 0–1 (A)
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Zambia Zanaco 0–0 (H) Matchday 1 Cameroon Coton Sport 2–0 (H)
Cameroon Coton Sport 2–0 (A) Matchday 2 Zambia Zanaco 0–1 (A)
Morocco Wydad Casablanca 2–0 (H) Matchday 3 Egypt Al-Ahly 0–2 (A)
Morocco Wydad Casablanca 0–2 (A) Matchday 4 Egypt Al-Ahly 2–0 (H)
Zambia Zanaco 0–0 (A) Matchday 5 Cameroon Coton Sport 2–0 (A)
Cameroon Coton Sport 3–1 (H) Matchday 6 Zambia Zanaco 1–0 (H)
Group D Runner-up
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Morocco Wydad Casablanca 6 12
2 Egypt Al-Ahly 6 11
3 Zambia Zanaco 6 11
4 Cameroon Coton Sport 6 0
Source: CAF
 Final standings Group D winner
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Morocco Wydad Casablanca 6 12
2 Egypt Al-Ahly 6 11
3 Zambia Zanaco 6 11
4 Cameroon Coton Sport 6 0
Source: CAF
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Knockout stage Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Tunisia Espérance de Tunis 4–3 2–2 (H) 2–1 (A) Quarter-finals South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 1–1 (3–2 p) 0–1 (A) 1–0 (H)
Tunisia Étoile du Sahel 7–4 1–2 (A) 6–2 (H) Semi-finals Algeria USM Alger 3–1 0–0 (A) 3–1 (H)

Format

The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the order of legs decided by an additional draw held after the group stage draw, which was held on 26 April 2017.[9] If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still tied, extra time would not be played, and the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 26 & 27).[4]

Matches

First leg

Amine Atouchi (Wydad Casablanca) missed the first leg after picking up a red card in the second leg of their semi-final against USM Alger.

Zakaria scored for Al-Ahly in the third minute after he received a pass outside the penalty area before quickly unleashing a shot with his left foot into the back of the net. Wydad Casablanca then replied with a goal of their own when Ounajem broke through on the right flank and delivered a ball for Bencharki to head in the equaliser.[10]

Al-Ahly Egypt 1–1 Morocco Wydad Casablanca
 Report
Attendance: 60,000
Al-Ahly
Wydad Casablanca
GK1Egypt Sherif Ekramy (c)
RB24Egypt Ahmed Fathy
CB20Egypt Saad Samir
CB23Egypt Mohamed Nagieb
LB21Tunisia Ali Maâloul
CM17Egypt Amr Elsolia
CM3Egypt Ramy Rabia 78'
RW8Egypt Moamen Zakaria
AM19Egypt Abdallah Said
LW28Nigeria Junior Ajayi 63'
CF12Morocco Walid Azaro
Substitutes:
GK26Egypt Mohamed El-Shenawy
DF7Egypt Hussein El Sayed
DF30Egypt Mohamed Hany
MF11Egypt Walid Soliman 63' 86'
MF16Egypt Ahmed Hamoudi 78'
FW10Egypt Emad Moteab 86'
FW15Egypt Ahmed El Sheikh
Manager:
Egypt Hossam El-Badry
GK22Morocco Zouheir LaaroubiYellow card 90+2'
RB28Morocco Abdelatif Noussir
CB13Morocco Youssef Rabeh
CB25Burkina Faso Mohamed Ouattara
LB8Morocco Badr Gaddarine
DM6Morocco Brahim Nekkach (c)Yellow card 72'
RM7Morocco Mohamed Ounajem 27'
CM18Morocco Walid El Karti
CM4Morocco Salaheddine SaidiYellow card 63'
LM11Morocco Ismail Haddad 83'
CF17Morocco Achraf Bencharki
Substitutes:
GK12Morocco Badreddine Benachour
DF16Morocco Naïm Aarab
DF27Morocco Zakaria El Hachimi
MF2Morocco Anas El Asbahi
MF9Morocco Mohammed Aoulad
MF26Morocco Abdeladim Khadrouf 27'
FW10Ivory Coast Guillaume Nicaise Daho 83'
Manager:
Morocco Hussein Amotta

Assistant referees:
Olivier Safari Kabene (DR Congo)
Waleed Ahmed Ali (Sudan)
Fourth official:
Sidi Alioum (Cameroon)

Second leg

Both sides were without some key players through injury for the decisive match. Mohamed Ounajem (Wydad Casablanca) strained his thigh during the first leg and Ali Maâloul (Al-Ahly) was also out with groin injuries.

In the second leg, El Karti scored for Wydad Casablanca the winning goal with a header in the 69th minute from a precise cross delivered by Bencharki.[11]

Wydad Casablanca Morocco 1–0 Egypt Al-Ahly
 Report
Attendance: 65,000
Wydad Casablanca
Al-Ahly
GK22Morocco Zouheir LaaroubiYellow card 90+3'
RB28Morocco Abdelatif Noussir
CB13Morocco Youssef RabehYellow card 40'
CB5Morocco Amine Atouchi
LB8Morocco Badr Gaddarine
RM26Morocco Abdeladim KhadroufYellow card 83' 86'
CM18Morocco Walid El Karti
CM6Morocco Brahim Nekkach (c)
CM4Morocco Salaheddine Saidi
LM11Morocco Ismail Haddad 90+3'
CF17Morocco Achraf Bencharki
Substitutes:
GK12Morocco Badreddine Benachour
DF16Morocco Naïm Aarab
DF25Burkina Faso Mohamed Ouattara 90+3'
DF27Morocco Zakaria El Hachimi 86'
MF24Morocco Jamel Aït Ben Idir
FW9Morocco Mohammed Aoulad
FW10Ivory Coast Guillaume Nicaise Daho
Manager:
Morocco Hussein Amotta
GK1Egypt Sherif Ekramy (c)
RB30Egypt Mohamed Hany
CB3Egypt Ramy Rabia
CB20Egypt Saad Samir
LB7Egypt Hussein El Sayed 77'
CM17Egypt Amr ElsoliaYellow card 77'
CM24Egypt Ahmed FathyYellow card 39' 72'
RW8Egypt Moamen ZakariaYellow card 67'
AM19Egypt Abdallah Said
LW28Nigeria Junior AjayiYellow card 22'
CF12Morocco Walid Azaro 60'
Substitutes:
GK26Egypt Mohamed El-Shenawy
DF6Egypt Sabri Raheel
DF23Egypt Mohamed Nagieb
MF11Egypt Walid Soliman 77'
MF16Egypt Ahmed HamoudiYellow card 85' 60'
FW10Egypt Emad Moteab 72'
FW15Egypt Ahmed El Sheikh
Manager:
Egypt Hossam El-Badry

Assistant referees:
Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)
Marwa Range (Kenya)
Fourth official:
Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2017 CAF Champions League Cup - Final (1st leg)". FIFA Referees News. 28 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "Bakary Gassama to officiate CAF Champions League final return-leg". Kingfut. 24 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "History Ahly favours against Wydad in epic final". Confédération Africaine de Football. 26 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 "CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REGULATIONS" (PDF). Confédération Africaine de Football.
  5. ↑ "Wydad recover from early shock to hold Ahly". Confédération Africaine de Football. 28 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "Wydad are African champions again after 25 years". Confédération Africaine de Football. 4 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "The boys are ready", Al-Ahram Weekly, Al-Ahram Publishing House (965), 17–23 September 2009, archived from the original on 10 October 2010, retrieved 6 June 2010
  8. ↑ http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/mar/stade_mohammed_v
  9. ↑ "Total Champions League 2017: fixtures of the group matches" (PDF). CAF.
  10. ↑ "Al Ahly, Wydad share spoils in first leg". FIFA. 28 October 2017.
  11. ↑ "Wydad crowned African champions". FIFA. 4 November 2017.
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