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African roundup Wydad Casablanca hosts Etoile Sahel in CAF Cup final
Posted: Friday November 26, 1999 07:05 PM
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- Wydad Casablanca will attempt to pull off an unlikely win over Etoile Sahel in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup final at home on Sunday after a dramatic campaign that left it an unlikely finalist. Wydad trails its Tunisian opponent by a single goal after the first leg in Sousse earlier this month and will need another of the gutsy performances that have characterized its play in this year's CAF Cup. The Moroccans, who started their campaign with a home draw against Libyan opponents Al Ahli Benghazi in the first round in March, twice needed a penalty shootout victory and also a last minute winner in matches on their road to the final. Coach Badou Ezaki, a former African Footballer of the Year and outstanding as goalkeeper for Morocco in the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico, has been criticized at home for a defensive approach with five men at the back and a sole striker. But he said this week he would play three strikers in the second leg, led by Senegalese international Abdoulaye Mbaye and with Redouane Allali returning from suspension. Missing will be Faycal Amikaddour, sent off in first leg after coming on as a substitute. Etoile Sahel have something of a selection dilemma up front. abri Idoudi made a claim for a place in the starting line-up after his first leg goal but he was playing only because Zied Djaziri was serving a one-match suspension. Sunday's match comes 24 hours after Raja Casablanca meet Tunisia's Esperance in the first leg of the African Champions League final, also in Casablanca. Tunisian clubs are seeking a clean sweep of all three of the African club competitions this year with a team in each of the finals. Etoile Sahel are seeking to become the first club to win the CAF Cup twice and also ensure that the trophy stays in Tunisia for the third successive year after victories for Esperancein 1997 and CS Safxien last year. Road to the CAF Cup finalWydad Casablanca (Morocco) First round - beat Al Ahli Benghazi (Libya) 3-1 on aggregate Etoile Sahel (Tunisia) First round - beat Centre Formation Salif Keita (Mali) 5-0 on aggregate Raja Casablanca needs goals in Champions LeagueRaja Casablanca must find their goalscoring form on Saturday when they host Tunisia's Esperance in the first leg of the African Champions League final in Casablanca to ensure any chance of a hat-trick of continental titles. The Moroccan club, winners of the top club prize in African football in 1989 and 1997, have had a dismal run in front of goal in recent matches, scoring just four times in the six Champions League group games they played before qualifying for the two-leg final. Despite this lack of finishing it was still enough to put them into the final but they will need much more firepower if they are to have any chance of overcoming the slick Tunisian side. Raja, whose domestic league form has brought them five wins in their last seven matches, must win to have any chance in the return game in Tunis on December 12. Esperance, who won the Champions League five years ago, have been in devastating form at home this year with almost 20 goals in the competition. They have also given away little in their home matches thanks to an experienced defense packed with Tunisian internationals. The club have won continental titles in the past two years and are on course for a remarkable sweep. In 1997 Esperance took the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup and were the African Cup Winners' Cup victors last year. They are also seeking to help Tunisia win a clean sweep of this year's three African club titles with neighbours Club Africain contesting the Cup Winners' Cup final next weekend and Etoile Sahel seeking the CAF Cup title on Sunday. But Raja's coach Oscar-Luis Fullone has a unique achievement to aim for himself. He is seeking to become the first coach to win successive Champions League crowns but with different clubs. Last year the Argentine-born coach took ASEC Abidjan of the Ivory Coast to the Champions League title. Road to the African Champions League finalRaja Casablanca (Morocco): first round - beat ASC Ndiambour (Senegal) 4-1 on aggregate; second round - beat Djoliba (Mali) 7-6 on penalties after 3-3 draw on aggregate. Group one - beat Hearts of Oak (Ghana) 1-0 (home) Esperance (Tunisia): first round - beat Al Mahalla (Libya) 4-1 on aggregate; second round - beat Al Hilal (Sudan) 8-3 on aggregate. Group two - beat ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast) 3-0 (home) Past winners of the African Champions League 1964 - Oryx Douala (Cameroon)
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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