Unexpected Exits for Egyptian Giants in CAF Champions League
In a stunning turn of events during the CAF Champions League quarter-finals, both Pyramids and Al Ahly, Egypt's prestigious football clubs, faced elimination from the tournament. Title-holders Pyramids suffered a surprising defeat on Saturday, falling 2-1 at home to Morocco's FAR Rabat. This defeat resulted in a 3-2 aggregate loss, thereby ending their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of Africa's top club competition. FAR Rabat, now set to face either Renaissance Berkane or Al Hilal of Sudan in April, will look to capitalize on this remarkable victory.
Meanwhile, Al Ahly, the record 12-time champions, also faced heartbreak as they were eliminated following a closely contested 3-2 loss against Tunisia's Esperance at their home ground. Esperance advanced with an overall score of 4-2 and will now compete against either Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa or Stade Malien from Mali for a coveted spot in the final, where an unprecedented prize of $6 million awaits the winners.
Key Moments and Controversies
The match between Pyramids and FAR Rabat was marked by significant moments, including an early goal from Reda Slim, who put the Moroccan side ahead just nine minutes into the game. Captain Mohamed Hrimat extended their lead with a second goal at the 54-minute mark. Although Mahmoud Mayele managed to score for Pyramids shortly after the hour mark, the team felt aggrieved after a potential penalty was denied when a cross from Ahmed Atef struck Hrimat's arm. After reviewing the incident on VAR, the Mauritanian referee opted not to award a penalty, a decision that left Pyramids and their supporters frustrated.
FAR Rabat's victory was particularly sweet as they had been eliminated by Pyramids at the same stage of the competition last season. Despite coming into the match with an unbeaten record, having won eight and drawn three of their previous matches, Pyramids were unable to secure a win in front of their home crowd.
In a parallel match, Al Ahly quickly erased a one-goal deficit from the first leg, with Mahmoud Trezeguet finding the back of the net within the first ten minutes. However, as the match unfolded, a flurry of late goals ensued. After Florian Danho equalized for Esperance with an impressive back heel, the game took a dramatic turn when Mohamed Tougai converted a penalty for Esperance, only for Al Ahly's Hamza Jelassi to score an own goal. In the end, a last-minute goal from Tougai sealed Al Ahly's fate, leading to speculation regarding the future of their Danish coach, Jess Thorup, amid reports of a possible sacking.
As the competition progresses, the next matches will see Hilal hosting Berkane after their 1-1 first-leg draw, with the game taking place in Rwanda due to ongoing civil unrest in Sudan. Meanwhile, Sundowns will face Malien in Bamako, entering the match with an impressive 3-0 lead.
As reported by bssnews.net.
