CAF Champions League semifinals are set to take place, pitting Esperance of Tunisia against Al Ahly of Egypt, and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa. The first legs are scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, with the return matches next weekend. Sundowns were the last sub-Saharan club to win the trophy in 2016. Since then, Wydad, Esperance, and record 10-time title-holders Ahly have each won the premier African club competition twice.
If Wydad and Ahly progress, this will be the first time since 1982 that back-to-back finals are held between the same clubs. At that time, Ahly met Asante Kotoko of Ghana. This year's games will be behind closed doors due to recent crowd trouble.
Bouly Sambou of Wydad is the frontrunner for the Champions League Golden Boot, having scored seven goals in his first African campaign with the Moroccan giants. He is typical of many west African forwards in terms of his height, physical strength, ability to dominate the air, and hold onto the ball under pressure. Meanwhile, Sundowns' captain, Themba Zwane, is known for his creativity and is a master at keeping possession while being surrounded by several rivals.
Esperance has reached the penultimate stage, despite netting only ten times in ten matches, the worst scoring record of the four title contenders. The team's success is in part thanks to Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda, a 24-year-old forward who often operates as the lone forward in the 5-4-1 formation of coach Nabil Maaloul.
Percy Tau, a winger with Ahly, has given a series of superb displays on the right side of midfield, including two goals in the Champions League. He silenced doubters who predicted that he would leave Ahly after fellow South African Pitso Mosimane resigned as coach following a loss to Wydad in the 2022 Champions League final.
Esperance and Ahly have faced off in the Champions League semifinals three times, with the Cairo club winning two ties. Away goals earned Ahly success in 2001 and Esperance in 2010. Wydad and Sundowns have met ten times, but only once in the semifinals, with Wydad narrowly winning at home and drawing away to reach the 2019 title decider.
In conclusion, the CAF Champions League semifinals are set to be an exciting event. With the stars' impressive track records, fans of the sport can expect some high-intensity games over the coming days.
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