2017 CAF Champions League: Wydad Casablanca 1-0 Al Ahly - As it happened

by Graeme Jackson

Saturday Nov 04, 2017. 23:53

Welcome to coverage of the 2017 CAF Champions League final, second-leg match between Wydad Casablanca and Al Ahly from the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.

Commentary:
All times CAT

90+5' - Full time - Done and dusted, Wydad Casablanca are the new kings of Africa! They won 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate to claim their second CAF Champions League title!

90+3' - Substitution - El Haddad makes way for Mouhamed Ouattara.

90+1' - There will be three minutes of added time.

89' - Great work from Bencharki to spring the offside trap and earn his side a corner kick. Wydad are just trying to run down the clock now.

87' - Zakareya with a great attacking chance for Ahly, but he shoots into the side netting when his teammates were crying out for a square pass across the box...

86' - Substitution - Zakaria El Hachimi replaces Khadrouf.

85' - Ahly have five minutes to find a goal and send the final to penalties...

84' - A brave block to close down Said as he looks to fire in a shot, but the offside flag is up anyway.

83' - Yellow card - Khadrouf booked for time wasting.

80’ - Bencharki free down the right again, he squares for Khadrouf, who is denied by a brave save from Ekramy!

77 - Yellow card - El Sulaya booked for a clumsy challenge on El Haddad.

77’ - Substitution - Walid Soliman replaces El-Sayed.

76’ - Zakareya shoots from long range, but it’s high and wide.

74’ - A pushing match breaks out on the far side of the field… emotions running high in Casablanca.

72’ - Substitution - Another change for Ahly as Emad Moteab replaces Fathi.

70’ - Wydad now lead 2-1 on aggregate. It doesn’t really change things for Al Ahly - they needed to score a goal before, and it’s still the case.

69’ - GOAL! Wydad 1-0 Al Ahly - Bencharki with great work down the right, his deflected cross is met by a great header from El Karti to find the back of the net!

67’ - Yellow card - Zakareya booked for simulation.

64’ - Wydad look to have pace on the counter attack, but they’re playing a dangerous game by sitting back like this.

61' - Substitution - Ahmed Hamoudi replaces Azaro in Ahly's first change.

60' - Rabeh with a great defensive clearance from an Al Ahly corner kick. The Egyptian side is dominating at the moment.

57' - Fathi with a good ball into the box, Azaro pulls it back from the by-line, but it doesn't quite come together for Ahly.

54' - El Sayed clears from central defence as Wydad push forward. Plenty of cut and thrust, this game just needs a goal to really ignite it.

51' - Strong play from Ajayi to win a free kick in the middle of the park. Ahly will need that running power to penetrate Wydad's defence.

49' - In fact the referee has paused the game while we wait for the worst of the smoke to clear...

48' - Plenty of smoke from the flares in the crowd drifting across the field. Shouldn't affect the players too much.

46' - Back underway in the second half, no changes from either team at the break.

45+1' - Half time - Goalless at the break, Wydad are halfway to their second CAF Champions League title as things stand, but you get the feeling there's drama in store in the second stanza.

45' - There will be one minute of added time.

43' - Closing in on half time, Wydad will be happy with proceedings so far but the tie remains on a knife edge.

40' - Fathi floats a free kick into the Wydad box, but it passes through for a goal kick to the hosts.

39' - Yellow cards - Both Ahly's Fathi and Wydad's Rabeh are booked in quick succession.

35' - At the other end it's El Haddad with a low shot which skids just wide of Ekramy's left-hand post!

34' - Al Ahly hit through the middle on a quick counter, Zakareya has a one-on-one chance but sees his effort well saved by Laaroubi!

30' - Wydad on the  counter attack and Khadrouf sees his deflected shot rebound off the crossbar! The hosts' first real attacking highlight.

29' - From a free kick to a corner kick for the visitors, but Wydad defend well.

28' - Azaro earns a free kick out on the left flank, Al Ahly are making all the running now.

26' - Said with an in-swinging cross from the left, but it's easily claimed by goalkeeper Laaroubi.

23' - Midway through the first half, still goalless on the night and 1-1 on aggregate. It remains in favour of Wydad on the away goals rule.

22' - Yellow card - Ahly's Ajayi is booked for repeated fouls.

19' - Bencharki plays in a low cross from the right by-line, but Wydad have no one in the middle to take advantage.

18' - Wydad captain Nakach goes down under a challenge and looks a little sore getting to his feet, but he should be fine to continue.

15' - Ahly's Said has had a couple of dangerous corner deliveries so far. Set pieces certainly look like an avenue back into the tie for the Egyptian side.

14' - Wydad defender Atouchi makes a vital challenge as Ahly look to break free down their right flank.

12' - Zakareya cuts inside from the right and shoots on goal, Laaroubi makes an awkward save and the rebound almost falls for Azaro, who would have had a tap-in! So close for Al Ahly...

10'  - There's no room to breathe in midfield, both teams closing down space in the engine room very quickly.

8' - Slick passing from Wydad, but the ball ends up safely in the hands of Ahly goalkeeper Ekramy.

5' - Azaro looks to get onto a cross from Zakareya and goes down under a challenge, but there's no real call for a penalty from the referee.

3' - Al Ahly looking full of intent in the early minutes, as they try to catch out the hosts before the match settles down.

1' - Kick-off - We are underway in Casablanca! Wydad wear all-white with red trim, while Al Ahly are in all-blue.

21h55 - The players have made their way out onto the pitch at a packed Stade Mohamed V Stadium.

21h45 - A reminder that Wydad are looking to win their second CAF Champions League title and a first since 1992, while Al Ahly are chasing a record-extending ninth African crown, having won their eighth back in 2013.

21h30 - Thirty minutes to kick-off. A reminder that the first leg at the Borg El Arab Stadium outside of Alexandria last weekend ended in a 1-1 draw, giving Wydad the advantage of an away goal.

Here are the line-ups ahead of the match:

Al Ahly: Sherif Ekramy, Mohamed Hani, Saad Samir, Rami Rabia, Hussein El-Sayed, Amr El-Sulaya, Ahmed Fathi, Moemen Zakareya, Abdallah El-Said, Junior Ajayi, Walid Azaro

Wydad: Zouhair Laaroubi, Youssef Rabeh, Amine Atouchi, Abdellatif Noussir, Salaheddine Saidi, Walid El Karti, Brahim Nakach, Badr Gaddarine, Achraf Bencharki, Ismail El Haddad, Abdeladim Khadrouf