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Rabat – Al Ahly edges closer to the finals of the prestigious African Champions League after clinching a 1-1 draw (and a 3-2 victory on agregate) on Friday evening against Morocco’s Al Raja at the Mohammed V complex stadium in Casablanca.
After a first-leg defeat at Al Ahly Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, Raja Casablanca players began tonight’s game hunting to secure their place in the semi-finals.
Less than five minutes after the game kicked off, Raja midfielder Fabrice Ngoma translated the team’s ambitions into a reality by scoring the game’s opening goal.
Egypt’s Al Ahly then tried to push harder and make an early comeback in the game but were faced with a staunch and firm defense.
In the 12th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Al Ahly. The penalty was impressively saved by Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti.
Yet, as the game progressed, Al Ahly’s continuous attempts proved fruitful, scoring an equalizer in the 44th minute.
Al Ahly center-defender Mohamed Abd Elmonem’s goal sent both teams to the dressing room with mixed feelings.
At the start of the second half, Raja Casablanca tried to shake off the defenses of the Egyptian club but in vain.
Coach Rachid Taoussi made considerable changes to the lineup in an attempt to revive the forward line but star-studded Al Ahly looked determined to move to the next round.
As the time steadily progressed, Al Ahly appeared to be the qualifying team for the next round after a well-fought game.
The referee’s final whistle came to further solidify this idea, sealing the Egyptian team’s qualification to the CAF Champions League semi-finals and giving Raja Casablanca’s supporters a night to forget.
More than 42,000 fans flocked to the stadium to watch the highly anticipated match and many more held their breaths behind screens, waiting to see how the match played out.
Al Ahly and Raja have played face to face eight times in CAF competitions before.
Al Ahly is slightly ahead of the Moroccan team so far in the competition with a 3-2 win and two draws.
The last time the two teams locked horns was back in December during the CAF Super Cup final. The game ended with a 1-1 draw in regular time, and the Egyptians settled the scores later on penalties with a 6-5 victory.
Raja had an outstanding season prior to tonight’s game as they have not suffered a single defeat this season, but Al Ahly were in a less optimal shape after having barely made it to tonight’s game.
Read Also: Raja’s Ex-Coach: “Social Media Is a Poison in Morocco”
