Al-Ahly of Egypt drew 1-1 against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on Sunday to win the CAF Champions League for a record-extending 11th time and earned $4 million prize money.
Al-Ahly’s defender Mohamed Abdelmonem scored a 78th-minute equalizer in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco to hand the Egyptian side the trophy.
In the first leg of the CAF Champions League final in Cairo, the Egyptian club beat the Moroccan club 2-1 to go into the second leg with a huge advantage. Fortunately for them, they were able to escape a defeat as they emerged winners of the 2022-2023 CAF Champions League 3-2 on aggregate.
Wydad’s loss put an end to a run of two final victories against Ahly, and they paid the price for focusing on maintaining their shaky away goal advantage going into the second leg rather than looking for more goals after taking a 27th-minute lead in the second leg.
In contrast to Europe, when teams end two-legged affairs in a draw in African club competitions, away goals count twice, and Wydad would have kept the trophy if they had won the second leg by a 1-0 margin.
Unfortunately for the Moroccan team, they drew at home after suffering a 2-1 defeat away, hence, Al-Ahly won the title and earned the record-breaking and mouth-watering prize money.
Also, their coach, Marcel Koller becomes the first manager from Switzerland to win the CAF Champions League.
