Al Ahly outclass Wydad and take a step closer to final
Wydad Casablanca 0-2 Al Ahly
Al Ahly looking solid right to the end and it will take something very, very special from Wydad to turn this tie around.
Wydad now resort to lofted and hopeful long balls forward which are easy for the Al Ahly defence to deal with.
4 minutes of added time here in Casablanca.
Comara carded for a rash challenge.
Into the final minute of the 90. Wydad still looking for a breakthrough but unable to find a way past the men in black.
Fine delivery from El Haddad as his cross into the box is just overhit and fails to meet a team-mate. Wydad enjoying more possession now as they look for a late goal that would offer a glimmer of hope to the Moroccan team.
Fine minutes of normal time left in Casablanca. Al Ahly with more than one foot in the final with Wydad needing to deliver something very special in Cairo next Friday. Not sure that is something that will be on the cards from what we've seen tonight.
El Shahat breaks free but fires his effort into the side netting.
Into the final 10' we go, as Al Ahly break again and look dangerous every time the pounce on the break. Can't see Wydad finding the net tonight with the home side lacking quality in the final third.
Decent effort from Aouk as he forces the Al Ahly stopper to tip over. Decent effort for the home side.
A waste of a corner for Wydad with the ball once again well overhit.... immediately Al Ahly break and almost get a third with 15 minutes remaining in Casablanca.
Wydad doing their best to weave through the men in black as they win another corner. Still lacking that bit of composiure and final ball to hurt the Egyptian side.
Wydad almost equalise as Fathy almost steers the ball into his own goal.
Less than half an hour remaining for Wydad to bounce back. The Moroccan side need a goal to take into the second leg with a further strike for the Egyptian side surely a bridge too far for Wydad.
Wydad 0-2 Al Ahly
What can the Tunisian deliver?
30-year-old Ali Maaloul to take the penalty for Al Ahly.
Jabrane carded for a hand ball in the box and it's spot kick for Ahly.
Possession: Wydad 54-46 (%) Al Ahly. The home side still bossing things in terms of possession.
Certainly feels like a goal for the visitors is closre to that of one for Wydad.
Al Ahly through with El Shahat through on goal but the Moroccan stopper stands his ground well to deprive the Al Ahly striker.
'No touch' pleads the Ahly player.
El Shenawi in the Ahly goal has yet to be tested from an outfield passage of play. His penalty stop was his main action as Ashraf is carded.
Far too many misplaced passes from Wydad with Al Ahly the more clinical of the sides when on the ball. This inability to retain possession is certainly a weak link for the Moroccan side.
Badr Gaddarine the player coming on for Wydad.
Change for Wydad as Yahia cannot continue.
Problems for Wydad as Yahia Attiyat Allah seems to have pulled a muscle. The player currently getting medical attention.
Off we go in Casablanca. Second half underway
Change at the break for Al Ahly as Dieng makes way for Fathy.
Wydad are back on the pitch as we wait for Al Ahly.
November 6 is the tentative date for the 2019/20 CAF Champions League final with the one-off game set to be held in Cairo or Casablanca depending on the finalists.
This very venue (Stade Mohammed V) will also be used tomorrow night for the second semi-final which is also an all Morocco-Egypt clash as Raja Casablanca face Zamalek in the second of the Casablanca-Cairo tussles.
The Red Devils from Cairo very much in control here, availing of their scoring opportunity and riding their luck as Wydad missed a penalty. The Moroccan side need to get back on terms and ensure that the second leg is a compettitive affair in the egyptian capital next Friday.
HT in Casablanca: Wydad 0-1 Al Ahly Cairo
We'll have three minutes of time added on.
Another blow for the home side. Plenty of character needed by Wydad to bounce back from two setbacks in this first 45'.
Into the final minute we go but we'll have at least 3/4 ' of added time over that VAR decision.
Wydad's Badi Aouk to take .....steps up and misses with the ball hit straight at the keeper... the keeper was well placed to gather the rebound too. A poor strike from the home player.
What has the match official awarded ? A spot kick for Wydad !!!!
From my perspective, I have my doubts about the penalty kick....I however am not a FIFA referee !
The referee decides that Al Ahly keeper impeded an Wydad attacker with a penalty the outcome.
Spot kick for Wydad !
Great chance for Wydad as the ball falls to Ismail El Haddad who blazes over.
The return leg of this semi-final si schedule for next Friday (23/10) in the Egyptian capital.
Wydad win a free kick after afould from Hany. Deflected for a throw as Wydad maintain the pressure levels. The Moroccan side lack a degree of composure and will still be rocked from conceding that early goal.
The voice of Argentine Wydad manager also very audible here in the empty Casablanca stadium as Miguel Ángel Gamondi bellows instructions to his men in Spanish.
Corner for Wydad... disappointing delivery and Al Ahly clear their lines. Wydad yet to really test Mohamed El Shenawi in the Al Ahly goal and it's the visitors who look more threatening as they break forward.
Possession: Wydad 43% - Al Ahly 47%
Wydad probing looking for a way back as Ahmed Tagnaouti in the home goal is forced to use his feet to make a save. Trying to imagine how the 80,000 plus crowd would be forcing their men on now. Both Wydad and Raja have hugely passionate home support and along with Ittihad Tanger some of the most dedicated fans in the Moroccan top flight.
More cards as Wydad's Yahia Attiyat Allah is also booked
Card for Al Ahly No. 15 Aliou Dieng
Wydad keep the pressure up and win a corner which Al Ahly are happy to whack away. Good response from the home side after the emotional blow of shipping an early goal
Better now from Wydad as they move the ball around in the Al Ahly box and manage to fire a shot which drifts wide.
'Behind you' is the main message from Al Ahly boss Pitso Mosimane
An intersting mix of English, Freench, Spanish and Arabic eminating from both benches with Wydad being ciached by an Argentyine and a South African in charge of the Egyptian champions.
Al Ahly buoyed by their away goal looking the stronger side and dominating early possession here in Casablanca.
Afsha with the Al Ahly goal after a mix-up defensively from Wydad's Brahim Nakach
Wydad 0-1 Al Ahly
The teams emerge from the tunnel and Wydad get the action under way.
A mild night in Casablanca with a temperatire of 19C/68F and little or no chanve of rainfall diering the action.
Wydad will be in their traditional white and red shirts tonight with Al Ahly set to sport their change black kit.
The substitutes make for the bench as employees from boths club await in the VIP sector. The sad sight of an empty Stade Mohammed V reminds of all of the global pandemic that has impacted every live around the planet.
Interesting stats from Ghanian journo. Nuhu Adams as he outlines the financial muscle of each of the four remaining sides in the competition. Al Ahly lead the way ....
Both sides go into the game with relatively new head coaches
Wydad sacked Juan Carlos Garrido due to poor results and replaced him with the Argentine Miguel Ángel Gamondi. Meanwhile, Ahly's former coach René Weiler decided to prematurely end his contract with the club, leaving the Egyptian outfit to appoint South Africa's Pitso Mosimane
Al Ahly come into the game with the Egyptian title in the bag. The Cairo side have amassed a record 42 national league wins. Wydad saw city rivals Raja Casablanca secure the Moroccan league title recently and will look at the CAF Champions League as a perfect chance to close the campaign.
Both sides have amassed a total of 10 CAF Champions League wins with Al Ahly on 8 and a brace for Wydad. The Cairo based sides last win came in 2013 with Wydad lifting the title in 2017.
Egypt will host the CAF Champions League final in case of an Egyptian Moroccan face-off
The Confederation of African Football CAF staged a draw on Friday that resulted in Egypt hosting the Champions League final game, should a team from Egypt and another from Morocco make it to the final.
Tonight's first semi-final is the first of two all Moroccan-Egyptian ties with Raja Casablanca set to face Zamalek tomorrow night in the other semi-final. The return legs of both games will take place next weekend in the Egyptian capital.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage from Casablanca as Wydad face Egyptian outfit Al Ahly. Kick off at the Mohammed V Stadium is 21:00 CEST (20:00 local time).