Soccer

Blockbuster CAF Champions League last-8 clash looms for Al Ahly

Title-holders Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Esperance of Tunisia gained CAF Champions League groups on Sunday, and arrange a possible blockbuster quarter-finals clash with Al Ahly of Egypt.

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Either Wydad, Casablanca neighbours Raja or Esperance will likely be paired with the file 10-time African champions when the last-eight draw is made in Cairo on Wednesday at 20:30 (SA time).

Group winners and runners-up are separated for the draw and Ahly completed second in Group B behind Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa after struggling a 5-2 drubbing in Pretoria final month.

The Cairo Red Devils will keep away from a quarter-finals rematch with Sundowns as sides who met on the mini-league stage of the premier African membership competitors is not going to be drawn collectively.

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Ahly know their three doable last-eight opponents nicely having crushed Raja 3-2 on mixture within the quarter-finals final season earlier than dropping 2-0 to Wydad in a single-match last.

The Egyptian outfit eradicated Esperance 4-0 over two legs within the semi-finals two seasons in the past, then defeated Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa 3-0 within the last.

Senegalese Bouly Sambou took his Champions League aim tally to 6 – one lower than chart-topper Jason Mayele from Young Africans of Tanzania – with a brace as Wydad outplayed JS Kabylie of Algeria 3-0 in Casablanca.

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Two-time champions Kabylie began the match as Group A leaders on head-to-head information having edged Wydad 1-0 in Algiers.

But that place modified after 28 minutes when Sambou struck for the primary time, and he doubled the lead six minutes into the second half.

Zouhair el Moutaraji scored his first aim of the marketing campaign three minutes from time to finish a much bigger than anticipated successful margin for the defending champions.

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Chabab Belouizdad, the opposite Algerian contenders for the $2.5 million (2.3 mn euros) first prize, fared higher than Kabylie as they held Esperance to a 0-0 attract Rades close to Tunis.

But the outcome didn’t alter the Group D positions with Esperance ending first and Belouizdad second, one level behind.

The qualification of Belouizdad was a shock as five-time Champions League winners Zamalek of Egypt have been seeded to achieve the knockout levels with Esperance.

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Line up for CAF Champions League quarter-finals attract Cairo on Wednesday:

Pot 1 (Group winners)

Wydad Casablanca (MAR, holders, Group A), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA, Group B), Raja Casablanca (MAR, Group C), Esperance (TUN, Group D)

Pot 2 (Group runners-up)

JS Kabylie (ALG, Group A), Al Ahly (EGY, Group B), Simba (TAN, Group C), Chabab Belouizdad (ALG, Group D)

Dates

First legs, April 21-22; second legs, April 28-29

Notes

– Clubs who met at group stage will not be drawn collectively

– Group winners play second legs at dwelling


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