The road to CAF Champions League final: Egypt's Ahly v South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs
Mahmoud Elassal, , Friday 16 Jul 2021
Ahram Online provides the roadmap of the two teams to the final game of the prestigious continental tournament


Egypt's Ahly are set to face South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs in the African Champions League final on 17 July in Morocco's Stade Mohammed V.

The match will take place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Defending Champions and nine-time winners, Ahly will face Kaizer Chiefs, who will be fighting for their first ever Champions League trophy.

Ahram Online provides the roadmap of the two teams to the final game of the prestigious continental tournament.

Ahly's path

Title holders Ahly beat AS Sonidep of Niger 5-0 on aggregate in round 32.

The Cairo giants were drawn in Group A alongside Tanzania's Simba SC, DR Congo's AS Vita Club and Sudan's Al Merrikh. Ahly finished second with 11 points, two points behind leaders Simba.

Ahly opened the group stage games with 3-0 home win over Al-Merrikh before being stunned by Simba 1-0 away from home.

They were also frustrated to a 2-2 home draw by AS Vita Club but soon bounced back to winning ways with a 3-0 win at Kinshasa in the return leg.

Playing at Om Durman, Ahly were held to a 2-2 draw by Al-Merrikh but finished the group stage on a high not after beating leaders Simba 1-0 in Cairo.

The Red devils were paired with Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the quarterfinals for the third year in a row, and they won 3-1 on aggregate.

In the semifinals, Ahly faced Tunisian giants Esperance and defeated them 4-0 on aggregate to book a place in the 2021 African Champions League final game.

Round of 32

1st leg: Sonidep (Niger) 0-1 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorer: Aliou Dieng 33

2nd leg: Ahly (Egypt) 4-0 Sonidep (Niger)
Scorers: Taher Mohamed Taher 13, Walid Soliman 37, Badr Benoun 67 pen, Mahmoud Kahraba 90

Group stage

Ahly (Egypt) 3-0 Al-Merrikh (Sudan)
Scorers: Mohamed Magdi 58, Mahmoud Abdel-Moneam 62, Walter Bwalya 70

Simba SC (Tanzania) 1-0 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorer: Miquissone 31

Ahly (Egypt) 2-2 AS Vita Club (DR Congo)
Scorers: Mohamed Sherif 69, Marwan Mohsen 71, Makabi Lilepo 41, Ricky Tulengi 80 pen

AS Vita Club (DR Congo) 0-3 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorers: Mohamed Sherif 6, Mohamed "Afsha" Magdi 19, Taher Mohamed 78

Al-Merrikh (Sudan) 2-2 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorers: Ramadan Agab 25, Saif Malek 36, Badr Benoun 82 pen, Yasser Ibrahim 90+3

Ahly (Egypt) 1-0 Simba SC (Tanzania)
Scorers: Mohamed Sherif 32

Quarterfinals

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) 1-1 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorers: Mosa Lebusa 30, Yasser Ibrahim 11

Ahly (Egypt) 2-0 Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Scorers: Taher Mohamed Taher 27, Salah Mohsen 89

Semifinals

Esperance (Tunisia) 0-1 Ahly (Egypt)
Scorer: Mohamed Sherif 67

Ahly (Egypt) 3-0 Esperance (Tunisia)
Scorers: Ali Maaloul 38 pen, Mohamed Sherif 56, Hussein El-Shahat 60

Kaizer Chiefs' path

Kaizer Chiefs started their campaign from the preliminary round by facing Primeiro de Agosto of Angola as they defeated the latter 1-0 on aggregate to book a place in the group stage.

The South African side were drawn in Group C of the African Champions League alongside Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco, Horoya Athletic Club of Guinea, and Petro Atletico de Luanda Angola.

They finished second in Group C with nine points, four points behind Morocco's Wydad.

The Amakhosis started their mission in the group stage by a goalless draw with Horoya Athletic Club before losing 4-0 to Wydad Athletic Club. They snatched their first victory by beating Petro Atletico 2-0 then they drew 0-0 with Petro Atletico away from home.

Kaizer Chiefs enjoyed a 1-0 home victory over Wydad to advance their place in the Group C ranking before finishing the task in the group stage with 2-2 draw with Horoya Athletic Club away from home.

Kaizer Chiefs defeated Simba SC of Tanzania 4-3 in the quarterfinals on aggregate before beating Wydad Athletic 1-0 on aggregate in the semifinals.

Round of 32

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 0-0 Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)

Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Scorers: Castro

Group stage

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 0-0 Horoya Athletic Club (Guinea)

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) 4-0 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Scorers: Ounnajem 7, El Kaabi 44, Msuva 86, Jabrane 90pen

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 2-0 Petro Atletico (Angola)
Scorers: Eric Mathoho 30, Happy Mashiane 79

Petro Atletico (Angola) 0-0 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 1-0 Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
Scorers: Parker 48

Horoya Athletic Club (Guinea) 2-2 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Scorers: Barry 45, Sekou Camara 69, Cardoso 67 pen, Billiat 76

Quarterfinals

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 4-0 Simba SC (Tanzania)
Scorers: Eric Mathoho 6, Samir Nurkovic 34, 57, Leandro Castro 64

Simba SC (Tanzania) 3-0 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Scorers: Bocco 24, 56, Chama 86

Semifinals

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Scorers: Nurkovic 34

Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) 0-0 Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

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