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2017 CAF Champions League final

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2017 CAF Champions League Final
Mohammed V Stadium hosted the podium where Wydad AC lifted the trophy
Event2017 CAF Champions League
Al Ahly Wydad AC
Egypt Morocco
1 2
on aggregate
First leg
Al Ahly Wydad AC
1 1
Date28 October 2017 (2017-10-28)
VenueBorg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria
RefereeBamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia)[1]
Attendance60,000
Second leg
Wydad AC Al Ahly
1 0
Date4 November 2017 (2017-11-04)
VenueStade Mohammed V, Casablanca
RefereeBakary Gassama (Gambia)[2]
Attendance65,000
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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), and the 21st edition under the current CAF Champions League title.

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Al Ahly of Egypt and Wydad AC 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 AC 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 AC 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

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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 AC 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 AC 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 CA.

Venues

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Borg El Arab Stadium

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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.

The stadium is 145 feddans, is surrounded by a fence which is 3 km long, an internal road network its long is 6 km, a parking lot which could fit 5000 cars and 200 bus beside an airstrip, there are 136 electronic entrances. The main cabin is covered by an umbrella which covers 35% of the stadium total area, and it is considered the biggest umbrella in the Middle East. Its length is 200 m, its dimension is 60 m and its area is 12,000 m2, which is equal to 3 feddans.

The stadium is air-conditioned and that condition includes the clothes chambers, the salons and entrances, also the stadium includes 8 elevators for broadcasters, handicapped, services and important persons. There are 2 sub-stadiums for training and each ground can hold 2000 spectators, includes 2 locker rooms and a stadium for Athletics. The stadium also includes a hotel for 200 guests which is air-conditioned and has a swimming pool, gym and a department building which contains 80 people. The stadium includes a building which contains 300 presses. This building includes cabinets for broadcasters, entrances for emergency, ambulance cars, 39 and cafeterias, 337 bathrooms which classified to 33 bathrooms for women and 8 bathrooms for the handicapped.

Stade Mohammed V

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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 CA and their rivals Wydad AC.

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

Road to the final

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Further information: 2017 CAF Champions League

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

Egypt Al Ahly Round Morocco Wydad AC
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 AC 2–0 (H) Matchday 3 Egypt Al Ahly 0–2 (A)
Morocco Wydad AC 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 AC 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 AC 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

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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

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First leg

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Amine Atouchi (Wydad AC) 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 AC 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 Egypt1–1Morocco Wydad AC
  • Zakaria 3'
 Report
Attendance: 60,000
Al Ahly
Wydad AC
GK 1 Egypt Sherif Ekramy (c)
RB 24 Egypt Ahmed Fathy
CB 20 Egypt Saad Samir
CB 23 Egypt Mohamed Naguib
LB 21 Tunisia Ali Maâloul
CM 17 Egypt Amr El Solia
CM 3 Egypt Ramy Rabia downward-facing red arrow 78'
RW 8 Egypt Moamen Zakaria
AM 19 Egypt Abdallah El Said
LW 28 Nigeria Junior Ajayi downward-facing red arrow 63'
CF 12 Morocco Walid Azaro
Substitutes:
GK 26 Egypt Mohamed El Shenawy
DF 7 Egypt Hussein El Sayed
DF 30 Egypt Mohamed Hany
MF 11 Egypt Walid Soliman upward-facing green arrow 63' downward-facing red arrow 86'
MF 16 Egypt Ahmed Hamoudi upward-facing green arrow 78'
FW 10 Egypt Emad Moteab upward-facing green arrow 86'
FW 15 Egypt Ahmed El Sheikh
Manager:
Egypt Hossam El Badry
GK 22 Morocco Zouhair Laaroubi Yellow card 90+2'
RB 28 Morocco Abdelatif Noussir
CB 13 Morocco Youssef Rabeh
CB 25 Burkina Faso Mohamed Ouattara
LB 8 Morocco Badr Gaddarine
DM 6 Morocco Brahim Nekkach (c) Yellow card 72'
RM 7 Morocco Mohamed Ounajem downward-facing red arrow 27'
CM 18 Morocco Walid El Karti
CM 4 Morocco Salaheddine Saidi Yellow card 63'
LM 11 Morocco Ismail Haddad downward-facing red arrow 83'
CF 17 Morocco Achraf Bencharki
Substitutes:
GK 12 Morocco Badreddine Benachour
DF 16 Morocco Naïm Aarab
DF 27 Morocco Zakaria El Hachimi
MF 2 Morocco Anas El Asbahi
MF 9 Morocco Mohammed Aoulad
MF 26 Morocco Abdeladim Khadrouf upward-facing green arrow 27'
FW 10 Ivory Coast Guillaume Nicaise Daho upward-facing green arrow 83'
Manager:
Morocco Hussein Ammouta

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

Second leg

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Both sides were without some key players through injury for the decisive match. Mohamed Ounajem (Wydad AC) 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 AC the winning goal with a header in the 69th minute from a precise cross delivered by Bencharki.[11]

Wydad AC Morocco1–0Egypt Al Ahly
 Report
Attendance: 65,000
Wydad AC
Al Ahly
GK 22 Morocco Zouhair Laaroubi Yellow card 90+3'
RB 28 Morocco Abdelatif Noussir
CB 13 Morocco Youssef Rabeh Yellow card 40'
CB 5 Morocco Amine Atouchi
LB 8 Morocco Badr Gaddarine
RM 26 Morocco Abdeladim Khadrouf Yellow card 83' downward-facing red arrow 86'
CM 18 Morocco Walid El Karti
CM 6 Morocco Brahim Nekkach (c)
CM 4 Morocco Salaheddine Saidi
LM 11 Morocco Ismail Haddad downward-facing red arrow 90+3'
CF 17 Morocco Achraf Bencharki
Substitutes:
GK 12 Morocco Badreddine Benachour
DF 16 Morocco Naïm Aarab
DF 25 Burkina Faso Mohamed Ouattara upward-facing green arrow 90+3'
DF 27 Morocco Zakaria El Hachimi upward-facing green arrow 86'
MF 24 Morocco Jamel Aït Ben Idir
FW 9 Morocco Mohammed Aoulad
FW 10 Ivory Coast Guillaume Nicaise Daho
Manager:
Morocco Hussein Ammouta
GK 1 Egypt Sherif Ekramy (c)
RB 30 Egypt Mohamed Hany
CB 3 Egypt Ramy Rabia
CB 20 Egypt Saad Samir
LB 7 Egypt Hussein El Sayed downward-facing red arrow 77'
CM 17 Egypt Amr El Solia Yellow card 77'
CM 24 Egypt Ahmed Fathy Yellow card 39' downward-facing red arrow 72'
RW 8 Egypt Moamen Zakaria Yellow card 67'
AM 19 Egypt Abdallah El Said
LW 28 Nigeria Junior Ajayi Yellow card 22'
CF 12 Morocco Walid Azaro downward-facing red arrow 60'
Substitutes:
GK 26 Egypt Mohamed El Shenawy
DF 6 Egypt Sabri Raheel
DF 23 Egypt Mohamed Naguib
MF 11 Egypt Walid Soliman upward-facing green arrow 77'
MF 16 Egypt Ahmed Hamoudi Yellow card 85' upward-facing green arrow 60'
FW 10 Egypt Emad Moteab upward-facing green arrow 72'
FW 15 Egypt Ahmed El Sheikh
Manager:
Egypt Hossam El Badry

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

See also

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References

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  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. ^ a b "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, no. 965, Al-Ahram Publishing House, 17–23 September 2009, archived from the original on 10 October 2010, retrieved 6 June 2010
  8. ^ "Stade Mohamed V". StadiumDB.com.
  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. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "Wydad crowned African champions". FIFA. 4 November 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017.
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