Wydad Casablanca Wins CAF Champions League

Wydad Casablanca have emerged champions of Africa after a 1-0 home victory over Al Ahly in the second leg of their Champions League final to complete a 2-1 aggregate win in Casablanca on Saturday.

It’s the first time in 25 years that the Moroccans have won Africa’s biggest club competition, replacing Mamelodi Sundowns as the new kings of the continent.

After holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria last week, a second-half strike from Walid El-Karti was enough to settle the all-north African affair in Casablanca.

With the victory, Wydad will now represent Africa in the FIFA Club World Cup coming up Dec. 6-16 at the United Arab Emirates.

Restricting their opponents to diagonal balls in midfield, Wydad struck the post when Abdeladim Khadrouf’s shot from inside the penalty area deflected off Hussein El-Sayed and onto the woodwork.

The guests had their best chance when Moemen Zakareya found himself through on goal but could not produce the finish to beat Wydad goalkeeper Zouheir Laaroubi.

An increasingly dominant Wydad found the opener – which proved to be the winner – on 69 minutes when El-Karti headed home a cross from Achraf Bencharki.

Hussein Amotta’s men came close to a second as Ismail Haddad forced Ahly keeper Sherif Ekramy with a fine save from point-blank range.

Ahly coach Hossam El Badry threw on veteran forward Emad Motaeb in search of an equaliser, but the host held firm to celebrate a well-deserved triumph.