The quarter-finals of the African Champions League will witness three North African derbies, most notably between Al-Ahly of Egypt, the 10-time champion, and Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, which has been crowned three times.
It is true that Al-Ahly, the title holder in the last two seasons, was late to catch up with the qualifiers, but the Century Club is one of the most prominent candidates to preserve its title.
The 2021/22 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL knockouts bracket!
Who will be the final two? pic.twitter.com/7jSc0EkRnA
— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC ???? (@CAFCLCC) April 5, 2022
The former Angolan striker Al-Ahly, Flavio Amado, told Qatar’s BN Sports channel, who participated in the draw at the headquarters of the Continental Confederation in Cairo, on Tuesday, “Al-Ahly is the best African team. It is true that it lost twice in the group stage, but in the qualifiers Al-Ahly is different, What he did at the beginning of the tournament has nothing to do with what he will present later.”
The confrontation between Al-Ahly and Al-Rajaa will be a replay of the African Super last December in Qatar, which ended with Al-Ahly winning 6-5 on penalties after their 1-1 draw.
And the winner between them will meet the winner between Algeria’s ES Setif, the champion of 1988 and 2014, and the Tunisian Esperance Sportive, the champion of 1994, 2011, 2018 and 2019.
In another North African derby, Al Shabab Al Riyadi Belouizdad (Algeria) signed with Wydad Athletic, the Moroccan champion in 1992 and 2017, and the winner between them hits a date with Petro Atletico of Angola and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, the 2016 champion.
The group stage witnessed the exit of the Egyptian champion Zamalek five times without achieving any victory in six matches, as well as the Tunisian coastal star, the 2007 champion, who achieved a single victory.
The first-leg matches of the quarter-finals will be held on 15 and 16 April, and the second legs on 22 and 23 of it, the first leg of the semi-finals on 6 and 7 May, and the return on 13 and 14 of it, while the final will be held on May 29, at a place that will be determined in the coming days, according to the African Union.
lottery result
Al-Ahly (Egypt) – Raja Sportive (Morocco)
ES Setif (Algeria) – Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
JS Belouizdad (Algeria) – Wydad Athletic (Morocco)
Petro Atletico (Angola) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Semi-final draw
Winner from Al-Ahly (Egypt) – Raja Sportive (Morocco) x Winner from ES Setif (Algeria) – Esperance Sportive (Tunisia)
Winner from Petro Atletico (Angola) – Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) x Winner from Youth Sportive Belouizdad (Algeria) – Wydad Sportive (Morocco).