Raja Casablanca out of CAF champions league

Egyptian giants Al Ahly have progressed to the semifinals of the CAF Champions League, after holding Raja Casablanca to a goalless draw in their quarterfinal second leg encounter on Saturday.

Al Ahly owed their qualification to their 2-0 home win last week in Cairo, which cemented their superiority over their North African rivals in recent years. The 10-time African champions also eliminated Raja Casablanca from last season’s quarterfinals and beat them to the 2022 African Super Cup title.

Playing in front of their home fans at the Mohamed V Stadium, Raja launched several attacks in the opening stages of the game, while Al Ahly adopted a more cautious approach. Despite enjoying over 60% of ball possession, Raja’s attacks failed to penetrate Al Ahly’s defense.

AAl Ahly hly stepped up their game in the second half and posed a threat on the counter, with wingers Hussein El Shahat and Percy Tau finding space but lacking precision in the final touch. Raja’s best chance came in the 76th minute, but Hamza Khabba missed the target from inside the box.

Although Raja Casablanca were awarded a penalty kick just before the break, Yousri Bouzok’s spot kick crashed off the crossbar, leaving the Moroccan side frustrated.

With the 0-0 draw, Al Ahly secured their passage to the semifinals, where they will face Tunisia’s Esperance. The first leg of the semifinals will be played in Cairo on May 13th, with the return leg scheduled for May 21st in Tunisia.

Al Ahly will be hoping to add to their impressive record in the CAF Champions League, having won the competition a record 10 times. Meanwhile, Esperance will be aiming to lift the trophy for the fourth time in their history.