The CAF Champions League semifinals’ first legs were played during the past weekend, as Wydad Casablanca and Al-Ahly Cairo, and Raja Casablanca and Zamalek.
Although the matches took place in Morocco, the Egyptian teams have left as winners, with a significant advantage before the second legs in Cairo. The gaps between the Ahlawys and Zamalekawys to their Moroccan opponents, in the determination, urgency, fitness and experience were evident in both games, despite a tremendous effort Wydad and Raja have invested.
The Mosimane Momentum
Al-Ahly has brought Pitso Mosimane in for one mission: get the ninth CAF Champions League title. His signing with Africa’s Club of the Century can mark a new dawn for African coaches in the North of the continent if he succeeds in doing so. Pitso and his staff have all eyes of Egypt and Africa on them in this ‘sprint’ of winning the tournament, and they arrived and prepared themselves well for the trip to Mohammed V Stadium to face Wydad.
Throughout the whole match, you could have heard Mosimane screaming and guiding the players in each action, and without fans in the stands, his voice became the soundtrack of the match. “Behind you!” “Back! Back! Back”, “To the right!” fueled Al-Ahly’s players to give the extra and to show their commitment to the cause, and their new gaffer as well. Miguel Angél Gamondi tried to raise his voice too. Still, his plan shivered in front of the aggressiveness of Mosimane’s tactics and strategy of scoring fast, none-compromising defending and control the pace. Wydad couldn’t find their way through Al-Ahly’s defence, and in that intensity of play exposed their lacking of form.
The momentum Mosimane’ signing and beginning of his Al-Ahly career are giving to the team are crucial in missions such as the CAF Champions League in the current format. After their 2-0 victory, they are now the true favourites to go all the way.
Raja In Search
Like Wydad, Raja as well couldn’t find their way against Zamalek. The referee indeed had a few poor that fell against the new Botola Pro champions, yet - throughout the whole match - the Rajawys did not produce their high pressure and attacking play as they did in the past couple of seasons.
Their coach Jamal Sellami had to cope with the absence of a few important players, but fitness-wise, Zamalek simply looked more prepared. Raja’s players have put a lot of effort into their game, but couldn’t translate these efforts into quality football plays.
A 0-1 loss is narrow and leaves plenty of room for surprises in the second leg, but if the Green Eagles struggled like this at home, in Cairo, it would be a whole different story.
Crowd Absence
For years, Egyptian clubs attract better talents and bigger names in football to their clubs, even from Morocco. Back at the time, Walid Azarou moved from Difaa El Jadidi to Al-Ahly; Badr Benoun will move to Al-Ahly from Raja in January, and even Achraf Bencharki, once Wydad’ star player, is playing for Zamalek after his stints at Al-Hilal and Lens in France.
It is possible to discuss the professional and financial gaps between the Egyptian and Moroccan clubs, or blame it on the quality of the referees. Still, nothing will hide the biggest disadvantage of Wydad and Raja in the current format of CAF Champions League. The one thing that was clearly missing for the two Moroccan mega-clubs was: their home fans. Their passionate armies of 65 to 83 thousand people that sing together in a magnifying football orchestra. Without the fans, Mohammed V is not the same stadium. The atmosphere is none-existed, and Raja can’t get their ex-factor, their fuel, to produce more from themselves like they are used too. Like Wydad did in 2017 when they beat Al-Ahly 1-0 in a packed stadium to win first CAF Champions League since 1992.
On the other hand, the Egyptian teams are used to this situation as they play without fans for almost a decade in their local league. They know how to excel and produce the extra also when the terraces are silent, and the ambient feels like a friendly game. They are way more experienced in playing in these temperatures when it is important.
With the COVID-19 format of the tournament, the Egyptians have a great mental advantage of performing at maximum ability in front of no crowd, with that Dawla impact their fanatic supporters can create.
The first legs of the CAF Champions League were fascinating to watch, and both Raja and Wydad will need to push themselves to the limit in Cairo, to show that they are on the same level, or at least a close one, to their counterparts from Egypt.
Photo via Al-Ahly official Twitter account.
