CAF Champions League final to be replayed in South Africa
The second leg between ES Tunis and Wydad Casablanca was abandoned after problems with the VAR. ES Tunis had been awarded the title but the match will now be replayed.
The Confederaton of African Football (CAF) has announced that the second leg of the African Champions League, between Wydad Casablanca and Esperance Tunis, will be replayed, five days after the Tunisian side were proclaimed champions amidst chaotic scenes at the Stade Olympique de Radès when the VAR system failed to work. This led to the visiting Moroccan side refusing to play on when the referee was unable to review an offside call on a Wydad Casablanca goal. The match had started 1-1 from the first leg and ES Tunis were leading 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate when the game was abandoned.
African Champions League final to be replayed
The replay of the second leg will be played in South Africa and behind closed doors after the Africa Cup of Nations, which finishes on 19 July. The president of ES Tunis, Hamdi Meddeb, has been suspended for two years, for threatening the president of the CAF, Ahmed Ahmed, and for pushing to have the original game declared in favour of his side in order for them to be proclaimed champions of Africa for the second year running.
Wydad goal chalked off for offside
The incident that led to Wydad abandoning the match occurred in the second half, when referee Bakary Gassama chalked off a Wydad goal for offside, without being able to check with the VAR, as the system had not been working since the start of the match. The Wydad players and staff protested furiously before heading to their dressing room in anger. They refused to return until the VAR system was working, however after 45 minutes off the pitch the referee decided they had effectively abandoned the game and awarded the match and the title to ES Tunis.