Football

African giants Wydad Casablanca in trouble after loss to Simba

Wydad Casablanca fans cheer from the stands during the African Football League (AFL) second-leg final match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad Casablanca at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria on November 12, 2023. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

By Agency | Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Wydad have been the second most successful Champions League club after Al Ahly of Egypt from 2016, reaching four finals, two of which they won, and never failing to make the knock-out stage.

African club giants Wydad Casablanca of Morocco are in danger of a shock early exit from the CAF Champions League after a 2-0 defeat to Simba of Tanzania on Tuesday.

Cameroonian Leandre Onana scored twice within two minutes during the first half in Dar es Salaam to inflict a third Group B loss in four matches on the three-time title-holders.

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Wydad are last on three points with two rounds remaining, behind ASEC Mimosas (10) of the Ivory Coast, Simba (five) and Jwaneng Galaxy (four) of Botswana.

ASEC became the first qualifiers for the quarter-finals by beating Jwaneng 3-0 in Abidjan, and Simba will be join them if they can secure four more points.

The only realistic chance Wydad have of making the last eight is to win their remaining two matches and hope Simba lose one.

Simba visit ASEC in February and host Jwaneng in March while Wydad are away to Jwaneng and at home to ASEC.

Wydad have been the second most successful Champions League club after Al Ahly of Egypt from 2016, reaching four finals, two of which they won, and never failing to make the knock-out stage.

The Casablanca club fired coach Adil Ramzi last weekend and brought back veteran Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti for a fourth spell in charge.

Benzarti is the second most successful African coach in CAF club competitions with five titles -- one less than currently unemployed South African Pitso Mosimane.

Decisive ASEC

ASEC, whose lone Champions League title came 25 years ago, boast a nursery that has produced many players who went on to achieve fame in Europe, like the Toure brothers Yaya and Kolo.

Among the stars of the current side is Sankara Karamoko, who scored his fourth goal of the campaign to complete a decisive victory over Jwaneng, who stunned Wydad in matchday one.

Leibe Avo gave the Abidjan outfit an early lead, Essis Aka scored on 80 minutes and Karamoko netted in added time.

Victories for TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa moved them three points above Nouadhibou of Mauritania and Pyramids of Egypt in Group A.

Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro set up Teboho Mokoena to fire a low shot into the corner of the net after 17 minutes and give former champions Sundowns a 1-0 win over Pyramids in Cairo.

Five-time title-holders Mazembe left it late against Nouadhibou in Lubumbashi with 19-year-old Malian Cheick Fofana scoring after 80 minutes and again in added time for a 2-0 victory.

Petro Luanda let slip a chance to qualify from Group C after drawing 0-0 at home against four-time champions Esperance of Tunisia, but they remain first, and likely quarter-finalists.

STORY BY AFP