All roads lead north
- Four teams still in a using for a mark in a FIFA Club World Cup
- USM Alger face Wydad Casablanca – a initial time these dual have met in this competition
- Etoile du Sahel take on Al Ahly – a repeat of a final from 10 years ago
The final 4 of a CAF Champions League 2017 has thrown adult dual ‘local derbies’, with teams from North Africa occupying all of a semi-final berths. In a west, Algeria’s USM Alger will take on Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, while serve east, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia face Egypt’s Al Ahly. Of those four, usually USM have never formerly left on to turn African champions.
The games
USM Alger – Wydad CasablancaÂ
Stade du 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers, 19.00, 29 September
This is a initial time that 2015 finalists USM Alger and 2016 semi-finalists WAC have met. Wydad might have knocked out reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns in a quarter-finals, though they have struggled mightily divided from home, winning usually one compare – during Coton Sport in a organisation stages – outward of Casablanca. USM will pull comfort from that sold stat though they have concerns of their own. In a quarter-finals, they saw off Clube Ferroviario da Beira but indeed winning possibly of their matches opposite a arrange outsiders during that theatre of a competition, squeezing by with an divided goal.
Etoile du Sahel – Al Ahly
Stade Olympique de Sousse, 19.30, 1 October
After defeating Espérance de Tunis in a prior round, Egyptian side Al Ahly will have to see off another Tunisian outfit if they are to keep their hopes of a ninth pretension alive. ESS duration find themselves adult opposite another ‘Ahly’, after their win over Ahly Tripoli of Libya in a prior round, as they demeanour to strech a final of a foe for a fourth time. The final time they done it that distant was 10 years ago, when they won their usually pretension to date – defeating nothing other than Al Ahly to lift a trophy.
Here are a central times for a semi-finals of a 2017 CAF Champions League.#TotalCAFCL pic.twitter.com/XB8YcgjXlT
— CAF (@CAF_Online) September 25, 2017
Player to watch
Etoile du Sahel’s Egyptian striker Amr Marei did not take prolonged to win over his new home throng after a Jul 2017 send from ENPPI Club. The 1.75m (5’7) striker strike a belligerent running, notching dual headers opposite Ahly Tripoli to assistance ESS win their quarter-final 2-0. Hector Cuper motionless opposite job him adult for a 2018 FIFA World Cup Russiaâ„¢ qualifier opposite Congo, definition that Marei will be all a some-more dynamic to gleam opposite Al Ahly, who have 7 internationals in their ranks.
The stat
10 – It is not a initial time that 4 North African teams have got by to a Champions League semi-finals. Ten years ago in 2007, Al Ahly, Etoile du Sahel, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad done it by to this theatre of a competition, and there has always been during slightest one group from a north of a continent in a final 4 given 2001.
The words…
“It won’t be an easy match, this semi-final – Wydad will make life unequivocally tough for us. They are a well-organised group and it promises to be a tough one. We need to be entirely focused and put in a good performance. Reaching a final 4 is already utterly an feat for us.” Paul Put, USM Alger coach
Here is a tip XI patrol of a QFs 2nd leg of a CAF Champions League #TotalCAFCL pic.twitter.com/tdzMSYkmfO
— CAF (@CAF_Online) September 26, 2017
Article source: http://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/y=2017/m=9/news=all-roads-lead-north-2909843.html