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Moroccan football club Raja Casablanca has qualified for the final game of the 2019-2020 Arab Club Champions Cup, called the Mohammed VI Champions Cup this year.
The Moroccan giant reached the final after winning 3-0 against Egyptian club Ismaily SC in the second leg of the Mohammed VI Champions Cup semi-final. The game took place tonight, January 11, at the Marrakech Stadium.
Raja Casablanca managed to overcome their 0-1 loss in the first leg in Egypt, making the semi-final aggregate score 3-1 in their favor.
The Moroccan club is set to face Saudi club Al-Ittihad in the final game to compete for a $6 million cash prize. The game will take place in Rabat, but its date is yet to be determined.
Tonight, Raja Casablanca maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the first half. However, faced with a strong and well-organized Egyptian defensive line, the Moroccan squad was unable to translate its possession into significant goal scoring opportunities.
In the second half, however, after prominent striker Mahmoud Benhalib substituted young midfielder Zakaria El Wardi, the Moroccan team gradually became more dangerous.
The non-stop pressure from Raja Casablanca led Ismaily SC players to lose their composure and make a foul against striker Soufiane Rahimi inside the penalty box at the 60th minute of the game.
Mohcine Moutouali, showing his usual composure in front of the net, scored the penalty kick and ignited his teammates’ fighting spirit.
The first goal further motivated Raja Casablanca players to look for securing their qualification. Meanwhile, the Egyptian team, faced with the threat of disqualification, seemed less and less organized as minutes passed.
Raja Casablanca reached their objective seven minutes after the first goal when substitute Ben Malango scored a header in his first ball touch of the game.
The Moroccan team did not allow Ismaily SC to comprehend what had happened and maintained their pressure. The second goal seemed to make Raja Casablanca players more hungry for goals.
Mahmoud Benhalib was able to prey on the Egyptian team’s confusion, scoring the third goal for Raja Casablanca at the 86th minute of the game. The coup de grace completely killed the Egyptian team’s dream of reaching the Mohammed VI Champions Cup final game.
Tonight’s qualification is the first time Raja Casablanca went this far in the Arab Champions Cup since 2006 when they won the title.
