Second leg semi-final matches of the African Champions League kickoff Saturday with Wydad Casablanca hosting Algeria’s USM Alger at Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco.
A day later at Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt multiple champions Al Ahly SC will take on Etoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia in the other semis clash.
Wydad, who escaped with a barren draw away to USMA in the first leg at Stade Julliet 1962, Algiers, will be banking on the home advantage to sail through.
40,000 tickets have already gone up on sale with thousands lining up to buy on day one Wednesday.
Any win will see the 19-times Botola champions reach their third finals after 1992 glory and 2011 runners-up finish.
A scoring draw or a win will give USMA a second shot at the title since 2015 loss to DR Congo giants TP Mazembe in the finals.
Wydad coach Hussein Amotta blamed poor pitch for barely creating any clear cut chance in the first encounter.
The team has been training at Rabat’s P. Abdallah Complex and Amotta is confident they will be ready for the weekend’s test.
“We’re working on our transition play, to be quicker and better, we know USMA, we’ll be ready,” he said.
His equal opposite Belgian Paul Put is cautious but believes in their chances of reaching the finals.
“The return match may turn out in our favor, but sometimes we have more space at the back, but in football everything is possible, we will wait patiently for opportunities to counter, he said.
The two sides have met a total of seven times in the past with Wydad winning only once against USMA’s three victories.
Senegalese officials Malang Diedhiou, El-Hadj Malik Samba and Djibril Camara will be in charge of the match.
Road to ninth
Al Ahly will have to overturn a 2-1 first leg loss to Etoile Sportive du Sahil to keep their march to a record ninth title a live.
They will be hoping to replicate an impressive domestic form, which has seen them score six goals in two matches, into the crunch tie against the Tunisians who beat them for the first time.
Coach Hossam Al-Badri told the club’s website that the two league victories against Al Ittihad and Al Raja were the “best preparations” for the tie against Etoile.
He however cautioned that the Champions League is a different ball game with a different goal.
Hossam is buoyant that with the fans’ support and fair refereeing they will reach their first final since 2013.
Etoile bagged their first and last gong ten years ago after runners up finishes in 2004 and 2005.
The team is under the tutelage of former Mazembe coach French-man Hubert Velud, who guided the Ravens to the 2016 CAF Confederations Cup triumph.
South African officials Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes, Johannes Sello Moshidi and Lindikhaya Bolo will take charge of the match.
