By Batsirai Sango.
The African champions league has one more game to go with the finalists for this season’s African Safari journey securing their spots after the completion of the semifinal second legs on May 19 and 20 respectively.
The football loving continent has surely been treated to some football extravaganza in this season’s edition of Africa’s elite football competition with the usual protagonists in the mix of things.
The growing rivalries between some of the continent’s top teams is a cause for celebration and an indication of the growing competitiveness of the continent’s elite football competition which in the long term will continue to enhance the commercial aspect of the game.
Across the shores of the great motherland in the recent Derby Della Maddonina the semifinal Milan derby between AC Milan and Inter Milan in the European champions league the demand for tickets was over 2million and the game could have been sold out severally.
With the African Champions league growing in the level of competitiveness and rivalries it will not be long before we get to such figures, with games between such rivalries as Tshwane giants Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and Cairo giants Al Ahly of Egypt slowly becoming one of the biggest clashes on the continent.
The first second leg semifinal between Cairo giants Al Ahly and Tunis giants Esperance took place on Friday night the 19th of May, with the Egyptian giants carrying a 3nil lead from the first leg the week prior.
Percy Tau whose scintillating form saw him score a brace in the first leg away from home in Tunis was again at it when he turned provider in the 21st minute as the Cairo giants broke the deadlock to lead 1nil on home turf.
The goal by the red devils of Cairo killed the game as a contest, and with the aggregate now at 4nil on the night there was no way back into the encounter for Esperance, and for Al Ahly it was now a case of game management which further stifled any chances of a comeback.
With the final whistle the Cairo giants had sealed their fourth consecutive Champions league final spot, now awaiting their would-be opponents in the final in the other semifinal match between Tshwane giants Mamelodi Sundowns and Casablanca giants Wydad Athletic Casablanca.
For neutrals a final between Cairo giants Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns would have been a titanic clash of the titans as the rivalry between the two has continued to grow with every season of the champions league whenever the two take on each other.
However, for that to happen they had to hurdle past Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca in the 2nd leg after the first leg a week prior had ended goalless with Mamelodi Sundowns finishing that game with 9 men after two of their players had been red carded for dangerous play.
It was all to play for both teams in the 2nd leg on Saturday May 20, more especially for the visiting team with the away goal rule still in place.
Mamelodi Sundowns pushed for that breakthrough goal to settle the nerves and it had to wait until the 50th minute for the deadlock to be broken with captain Themba Zwane leading from the front with a close range shot to send the yellow nation into delirium.
Earlier in the first half Peter Shalulile had failed to connect well with the ball on his left foot in a one-on-one situation and the goalkeeper managed to stifle his effort.
The game was swinging both ways as Wydad Casablanca were also pushing for that all important away goal and in the 72nd minute the visitors were able to equalize, with Peter Shalulile restoring the Brazilians’ lead a few minutes later.
The defining rather heartbreaking moment for Masandawana Mamelodi Sundowns came in the 82nd minute when defender Mvala beat his own goalkeeper to silence the home crowd that almost had the promised land in their sight.
The Tshwane giants tried to get that winning but it remained elusive as the north Africans held on to end Mamelodi Sundown’s journey in the champions league this season. The only team from sub-Saharan African amongst teams from the north it was heartbreak and a case of so near yet so far Mamelodi Sundowns.
Wydad Casablanca sealed their place in the final with a 2-2 scoreline on away goals, and they will play a familiar in Al Ahly in what would be a repeat of last season’s final.
The final will be decided on Sunday June 4, 2023, and its a north African affair a clear indication of their superiority and dominance in the competition.
