Wydad Casablanca’s road to the CAF Champions League final
Wydad Casablanca will be appearing in their third CAF Champions League final in six years when they take on Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the decider on Saturday, a game being hosted on Wydad’s own turf at the Stade Mohammed V.
They have, in fairness, had a fairly gentle run through the final and Al Ahly will certainly be a big step up on anything they have faced so far this season.
Not that the Red Devils won’t be wary of their opponent, with Wydad able to beat any side in Africa on their day, especially at home in front of their fervent support.
They started their 2021-22 Champions League campaign in the second round having been given a bye through the first, and came up against Ghanaian side Hearts of Oak.
Wydad received a shock in the first leg as they lost 1-0 in Accra, but emphatic in the return as they ran out 6-1 winners at home, a joint record score in this year’s competition with Al Ahly.
Saimon Msuva got two goals in that game, while there was also one via the penalty spot from Yahya Jabrane, who is Wydad’s leading scorer in the competition with five goals to date.
The Moroccans faced two teams from Angola and Al Ahly’s Cairo rivals Zamalek in the pool stages, where they took 15 points from a possible 18.
They eased past Sagrada Esperanca 3-0 in the pool opener, but then lost 2-1 to Petro Atletico in Luanda, a major surprise.
Wydad returned to winning ways with a 3-1 home success over Zamalek, and then won 1-0 away in Cairo to cement their passage to the next stage.
They recorded two more wins before the pool stage was over though, beating Sagrada Esperanca 1-0 in Luanda, and them thumping Petro Atletico 5-1 to end the group phase.
That set up a quarterfinal tie with Chabab Riadhi de Belouizdad from Algeria, who were a tricky opponent, though Wydad were always favourites to advance.
There was just one goal over the two legs though as Guy Mbenza scored for Wydad in Algiers to set up another meeting with Petro Atletico in the semifinals.
The Angolans had stunned Mamelodi Sundowns in the previous round, but were never likely to cause Wydad any problems.
The Moroccans romped to a 3-1 away victory in the first leg to put the result beyond doubt, even if they were held 1-1 at home.
They would have found a semifinal against Sundowns much more taxing and profited from the South African side’s profligacy in allowing Petro to beat them.
Wydad beat Ahly in the 2017 Champions League final but have generally not had it their own way against the Egyptians, who have won the last two meetings.
In all, Ahly have four wins and there have been four draws in the last 10 clashes between the sides dating back to 2011.
Ahly claimed a 2-0 semifinal first leg win in Casablanca on their last visit to meet Wydad in October 2020, soon after current boss Pitso Mosimane had taken over.
SECOND ROUND
Hearts of Oak 1 (I. Mensah 41’) Wydad Casablanca 0
Wydad Casablanca 6 (Msuva 4′, 61′, El Hassouni 8′, Dari 20′, Jabrane 38’pen, Serrhat 49′) Hearts of Oak 1 (Razak 84’)
Wydad Casablanca won 6-2 on aggregate
GROUP STAGES
Wydad Casablanca 3 (Dari 45′, Jabrane 52’pen, Mbenza 72′) Sagrada Esperanca 0
Petro Atletico 2 (Azulao 41′, Yano 68′) Wydad Casablanca 1 (Daoudi 59′)
Wydad Casablanca 3 (El Moutaraji 27′, Farhane 37′, Jabrane 88′) Zamalek 1 (Zizo 3’)
Zamalek 0 Wydad Casablanca 1 (Jabrane 48’pen)
Sagrada Esperanca 1 (Paciência 30′) Wydad Casablanca 2 (El Moutaraji 82′, Tsoumou 90′)
Wydad Casablanca 5 (Tsoumou 11′, Dari 29′, El Moutaraji 32′, El Hassouni 56′, Ellafi 71′) Petro Atletico 1 (Pinto 63’)
QUARTERFINALS
CR Belouizdad 0 Wydad Casablanca 1 (Mbenza 46′)
Wydad Casablanca 0 CR Belouizdad 0
Wydad Casablanca won 1-0 on aggregate
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SEMIFINALS
Petro Atletico 1 (Job 81’) Wydad Casablanca 3 (Azulão 16’og, Jabrane 45′, Mbenza 68′)
Wydad Casablanca 1 (Farhane 28’) Petro Atletico 1 (Gleison 21’)
Wydad Casablanca won 4-2 on aggregate
WYDAD CASABLANCA GOALSCORERS
5 goals – Yahya Jabrane
3 – Achraf Dari, Zouhair El Moutaraji, Guy Mbenza
2 – Ayman El Hassouni, Amine Farhane, Saimon Msuva, Juvhel Tsoumou
1 – Jalal Daoudi, Muaid Ellafi, Anas Serrhat
Own goal – Tiago Azulao (Petro Atletico)