The draw for the quarter-finals of the African Champions League football competition, Wednesday, put Al-Ahly of Egypt in a strong confrontation with Moroccan Raja Athletic, while Moroccan Wydad, the defending champion, is in a relatively easier confrontation against Simba of Tanzania.
On the other hand, Tunisian Esperance will clash with its neighbor, the Algerian youth club Belouizdad. As for the second representative of Algeria, JS Kabylie, he will face a difficult test against the strong South African Mamelodi Sundowns.
For the second season in a row, Al-Ahly, who holds the record for the number of titles (10 times), must face Al-Raja, and the “Red Devils” team had decided the two confrontations with a total score of 3-2, then went to the final, where it lost with two clean goals against the second pole of the city of Casablanca, Wydad. .
Al-Ahly seeks to consolidate its record numbers and win the eleventh title, especially after its dramatic qualification in the last round at the expense of the Sudanese Al-Hilal, to finish runner-up in the second group, behind Sundowns.
Al-Hilal could have decided qualification in the fifth round when it tied with Mamelodi 1-1, as international Athar Al-Taher missed a penalty kick in stoppage time, which was enough to eliminate the Egyptian giants.
Al-Ahly and Moroccan Raja met in 9 matches, during which Al-Ahly won two matches, while the tie was settled as a result of five confrontations, and Raja achieved victory in two matches. The first leg will be held in Cairo, while the Mohammed V stadium in Casablanca will host the second leg.
Al-Ahly seeks not to return to its fluctuating results that appeared in the group stage, as Swiss coach Marcel Koller realizes that there is no room for compensation this time, especially against a team that is considered the best offensive line (17 goals), and the second best defensive line (3 goals). In addition to scooping 16 points out of 18 possible.
Raja is led by Tunisian coach Munther Al-Kabir, who has great experience in continental forums, in addition to the team's inclusion of a group of distinguished players with great experience, such as goalkeeper Anas Al-Zeniti, Muhammad Zuraida, Abdel-Ilah Al-Hafizi and others aspiring to lead the "Green Eagle" to its fourth title historically and the first since 1999.
The finalist will meet the winner of the Maghreb confrontation between Tunisian Esperance and Algeria's JS Kabylie in the semi-finals.
The "Bab Souika" team, which is seeking its fifth title, reserved its seat in the quarter-finals, after leading its group against the Algerian youth sports club, Belouizdad.
The Canaries are looking forward to their first title since 1990.
It is assumed that Wydad, the defending champion, will not find it difficult to reach the semi-finals when they face Simba of Tanzania.
“Wydad El Omma” quickly regained its balance in the group stage, after opening it with a loss against JS Kabylie, as it achieved four victories and a draw to lead the group.
The team had sought the help of its former Spanish coach, Juan Carlos Garrido, instead of the Tunisian Mahdi Al-Nafti, to gradually improve the results, especially with the return of its main players after they were absent for long periods due to injuries, especially his winger Zuhair Al-Metraji, in addition to the brilliance of his Senegalese striker Pauly Sambo, along with the international full-back Yahya. Atiyatallah and midfielder Yahya Gibran, however, he will miss his goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Al-Teknaouti due to injury and undergoing surgery.
In the event that it exceeds this role, Wydad will be in front of a strong clash against the qualifier from the confrontation between South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and the Athletic Youth Belouizdad.
The red and white team hopes to move forward towards its first title.