Al Ahly is more than ever the most successful club on the African continent. The Red Devils of Cairo have just achieved the “decima” in the CAF Champions League, by disposing of the South Africans of the Kaizer Chiefs (3-0), at the Mohammed-V stadium in Casablanca. With this new victory, Al Ahly succeeds himself at the head of African champion club football.
This 2021 Champions League final, which pitted Al Ahly against the Kaizer Chiefs, was already shaping up to be very epic at the Mohammed-V stadium in Casablanca. The two teams held each other in respect for the first 45 minutes of the game. But, Al Ahly’s South African technician Pitso Mosimane will find the magic bullet at halftime to unlock the Chiefs’ yellow and black wall.
Al Ahly then managed to open the scoring in the 53rd minute. Akram Tawfik sent a nice pass to Mohamed Sherif in the box, who managed to finish with a nice shot in the right corner of the goal. A few minutes later, the Red Devils will make the addition worse through Mohamed Magdi Kafsha (2-0, 64 ’). The Egyptians now control this meeting.
In the 74th minute, Al Ahly will even score a third goal. Superb connection between Amr El Soulia (Al Ahly) and Mohamed Sherif who places him with his partner in a good position near the surface. He deceives the keeper with a strike in the upper right corner of the goal. Mass was said and Al Ahly won his tenth Champions League title, the second in a row.
Third double
This is Al Ahly’s second Champions League win in a row. Since the reform of the competition (1997), which was called the Champion Clubs’ Cup (1965-1996), the Egyptian team has signed three doubles (2020 and 2021 therefore; 2012 and 2013; 2005 and 2006).
Apart from the Egyptians, three clubs have done the same. These are the Nigerians of Enyimba (2003 and 2004), the Congolese of TP-Mazembe (2009-2010) and the Tunisians of Esperance of Tunis (2018 and 2019).
Motsimane, three stars
This is the second win in a row in the competition for Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane. Arrived on the team bench in 2020, the South African technician won the most prestigious African club competitions a few months later. His victim: Esperance de Tunis.
In total, Mosimane has won the Champions League three times. Before the two with Al Ahly, he was crowned in 2016 with Mamelodi Sundowns, the last team he coached before arriving on the Egyptian bench.
Second in the Egyptian championship, ten points behind the leader, Zamalek (61 pts), Al Ahly has four games less than his rival, or twelve points to take. Suffice to say that the winners of the Champions League are far from having dropped the title of champion of Egypt.
Result: Final
Saturday July 17, 2021
Al Ahly (EGY) / Kaiser (RSA) 3-0
Best striker
8 goals: A. Sayoud (CR Belouizdad)
7 goals: M. Sherif (Al Ahly + 1)
6 goals: S. Malik Bakhit (Al Merreikh), C. Chama (Simba SC),
5 goals: Mr. Ali Ben Romdhane (Hope), F. Chaouat (Sfaxien)
Awards of last 10 editions
2021: Al Ahly (EGY)
2020: Al Ahly (EGY)
2019: Hope (TUN)
2018: Hope (TUN)
2017: Wydad AC (MAR)
2016: Mamelodi (RSA)
2015: TP Mazembe (DRC)
2014: ES Sétif (ALG)
2013: Al Ahly (EGY)
2012: Al Ahly (EGY)