Al Ahly 0-2 Wydad: summary: score, goals, highlights, 2022 CAF Champions League Final

Wydad Casablanca winger Zouhair El Moutaraji scored both goals as they claimed African Champions League glory with a 2-0 victory over holders Al Ahly in the final at a raucous Stade Mohammed V on Monday.

Wydad celebrated a third continental crown after triumphs in 1992 and 2017 as they denied Ahly a record third straight title after El Moutaraji scored his first with a thunderous long-range strike and grabbed a second from close range.

The goals sent the home fans into raptures, with the final controversially staged at Wydad’s stadium after the Confederation of African Football said Morocco was the only bidder, Senegal having withdrawn their application.

Ahly failed in a bid to have the match postponed and moved to a neutral territory after their appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport was turned down last week.

Wydad, 2022 Champions of Africa

Congratulations to Wydad, worthy winners of a riveting CAF CL final against a tired looking Al Ahly side.

Title No. 3 for the Moroccan side.

That's it... Wydad Casablanca are the 2022 Champions of Africa !

Tempers fraying now and tackles getting reckless as Al Ahly players know that it's not their night...

4 minutes of time added on here in Casablanca...The flares are burning again as the WAC fans know their name is on the cup.

WAC Casablanca subs

Anas Serrhat(in) - Reda Jaadi(out)

Badi Aouk(in) - Aymane El Hassouni(out)

Final minute of normal time... the fans know it's going to be their night and they are about to witness a key page of history being written in the Wydad Casablanca history books.

A looping header forces Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti to tip over as Alhy win a corner. The keeper seems to have hurt himself as he is tangled in his net....

A late goal for the Egyptian side could make things interesting though.....

Dejected faces on the Al Ahly fans and and alos on the players on the Ahly bench...

Triple change for WAC

Soliman(in) - Aliou Dieng(out)

Abdallah Haimoud(in) - Guy Mbenza(out)

Juvhel Tsoumou(in) - Zouheir El Moutaraji(out)

My word, that was close as Al Ahly had two bites of the cherry and were denied by the keeper and fine defending to deny the Cairo men of pulling a goal back. Wydad now on uber defensive mode as Ahly pile on the pressure.

Added tempo from Al Ahly now as they move the ball about quickly looking for a chink in the Wydad armour ... Nothing going and the body language on the players in red suggests they know that tonight s not destined to be their night.

Ali Maâloul shoots with the outside of the boot but watches in frustration as the ball glides over the Wydad crossbar

Time ticking down for Al Ahly in Casablanca

Less than 15 minutes remain as the Cairo based side look for a way back.

Into the final 15' we go and Wydad are holding firm. 

Decent effort from Afsha for Ahly as he provokes a fine stop from the Wydad keeper. Best chance of the half for the Egyptian outfit.

More changes for Al Ahly:

Salah Mohsen(in) - Mohamed Hany(out)

Amr El Soleya(in) - Hamdy Fathy(out)

Just over 20 minutes left for Al Ahly to deliver a reply in the CAF CL final but as things stand a third WAC goal looks likelier than Al Ahly finding the target tonight. The Moroccan side have been the better team from the very first minute. 

Crazy noise levels in Casablanca

With their side 2-0 ahead the Wydad fans have been relentless in creating an incredible atmosphere throughout the game .

Player No. 12 without a doubt !

Al Ahly really lacking any creative guile this evening as their forward play is predictable and no problem for the well drilled Wydad defensive line.

Brief water break for both teams and it's a nervous looking Pitso on the Al Ahly bench... the South African was hoping to become the second manager to win the trophy four times if successful tonight.... As things stand, that seems unlikely....

An hour of the 2022 CAF CL final gone in Casablanca and it's WAC who are looking good against an Al Ahly side who were rocked by the second goal early in the second half.

Danger for Al Ahly here as WAC are presented with a fine opportunity ... three players in white over the ball....Poor effort as the wall does its job and the ball is behind for a corner

Aliou Dieng is carded for Al Ahly as he left his boot in just that bit late and caught his opponent

The scenes at the Mohammed V Stadium are quite incredible as all WAC fans now wave their mobile phones in unison creating an amazing spectacle.

Mohamed Sherif(in) - Ahmed Abdelkader(out) (Al Ahly)

Afsha(in) - Hussein El Shahat(out) (Al Ahly)

Zouhair El Moutaraji at the second time of asking, stabs home after the Al Ahly keeper spills his first attempt..... Wydad in the driving seat now !

Plenty of green lasers being used tonight and this form of distraction is becoming more widespread in major games on the continent as we saw in the Senegal-Egypt World Cup qualifier in Dakar with many of the Pharaoh players being distracted.

Fans once again pick up the noise as Mr. Gomes, our referee tonight gets the second half underway

We're all set for the second half.... 

The Al Ahly players just carrying out a quick warm-up drill in front of their fans before returning to the pitch

What can Al Ahly offer by way of reply as they will look to secure a foothold back in the game.... The sides slowly amble back onto the pitch at the Mohammed V stadium and the second half is just moments away.

Al Ahly 0-1 WAC

Wydad ahead at the interval.

What a frantic first half.... just what a final should be .... tempo, passion, intensity and plenty of incident as Wydad lead 1-0 through that spectacular effort from Zouhair El Moutaraji

WAC are awarded a free and this is just about in shooting range as Daoudi drives the ball off the wall and the ref Mr Gomes calls time on the action.

There will be just one minute of added time here in Casablanca

Amine Farhane is carded for dissent

Brave play from the WAC keeper as he intercepts a through ball and heads well outside his box....

Decent work from WAC as they force a corner after good play from the goal scorer El Moutaraji

Just the one shot on target in the opening 40 plus minutes and that was the incredible strike from El Moutaraji that sees WAC ahead in the final.

Just over five minutes remain in the half (which has flown by) and despite an excellent start, Al Ahly are right back in this contest. The Egyptian side with more possession as the fans still do their bit to intimidate the men in red.

One senses that Al Ahly are clawing themselves slowly but surely back into this contest as the pin Wydad back now and are the team enjoying the better of possession.

Al Ahly enjoying a sustained spell of possession as the side from Cairo carve out a chance which is cleared for a corner. Once again a headed effort this time from Taher Mohamed goes inches wide. Wydad will need to be more alert on corner kicks.

Good work from Guy Mbenza as the Congolese striker finds himself alone and faced with three defenders, the No. 9 still manages to get a shot off but drills it into the side netting.

Just really the header from Al Ahly's Yasser Ibrahim to worry Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti in the Wydad goal.

The fans at the Mohammed V Stadium are playing such a key role tonight as they create a cauldron of noise. Still whistling every passage of play when Al Ahly are in possession.

Alhy win a corner as Fathy looks to reach the ball but it's headed away for yet another corner kick. The ref unhappy with some pushing and from the second corner Ahly go close with a header going inches wide.

Over 20 minutes gone in Casablanca and it's very much one way traffic with the Moroccan side deserved leaders. Al Ahly will need to amend their game plan now as the few travelling fans look shell shocked.

Wydad now looking for a second as smoke bellows across the pitch from the flares, lit in celebration from the home fans

Wydad lead in Casablanca

An absolute rocket of a strike from Zouheir El Moutaraji puts Wydad ahead and that was unstoppable.... A ferocious hit from all of 25 yards and nothing the keeper could do about that....

Mohamed El Shenawy in the Ahly goal was well beaten by a rocket from WAC's No.9 Mbenza which strikes the bar and it's been an excellent start from the Casablanca based side who have all the initiative at the start of the final.

Looks like approximately 500-700 Al Ahly fans have made the trip from Egypt to Morocco for tonight's game.

Al Ahly with limited desire to get the ball forward with the Cairo side happy to build from the back and keep the ball from the side in white.

The wait is indeed over as the 2022 CAF CL final is well underway with a tense and nervous opening few minutes.

Wydad looking far too often for the lofted ball hoping to catch out the Ahly rear guard but on each occasion the delivery is poor from the Moroccan side.

Wydad have started with a more positive approach and it's clear that the Ahly players want to kill any early impetus from both the men in white and the noisy fans by slowing down the tempo of the action.

The goal which is being manned by Ahly captain Mohamed El Shenawy is where the travelling fans are housed.... a small pocket of hardy fans facing a 40,000 string crowd of passionate WAC supporters.

Fireworks still being let off and a volley of whistles and boos each time a player in red comes into contact with the ball

Off we go in Casablanca, Al Ahly start the action

The biggest domestic game in Africa is moments away....

The match officials are centre stage with both captains as a barrage of fireworks are let off by the WAC fans. Immense noise levels here in Casablanca.

Al Ahly the 'home' team in traditional red and white... Wydad in white shirts with black shorts.

CAF CL final match ball

This is the CAF Champions League match ball (made by Umbro) that will be used at the Mohammed V tonight as kick off looms ever closer.

Wydad fans hoping for 2017 repeat

Fans of the Moroccan side will be hoping for a repeat of the outcome of the 2017 final that was plated over two legs. A 1-1 draw in Egypt set the second leg up nicely and a 1-0 on the night for WAC saw the Casablanca giants claim their second CAF Champions League title as El Karti was the Wydad hero with the only goal of the game just before the 70 minute mark.

WAC starting 11 confirmation

Here's official confirmation of the starting men for the Casablanca side, who are actually the 'away' team tonight despite playing at home !

No extra time tonight!

In tonight's CAF CL final, which is played as a single match, if the score is level at the end of normal time, extra time won't also be played and the winners will be decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Gomes to oversee CAF Cl final

South African referee Victor Gomes will be in charge of tonight's clash in Casablanca with the official deemed by many to be one of the finest on the continent.

WAC XI

With no official confirmed Wydad XI through yet, here's the CAF press/media sheet that includes all details relating to tonight's game ...including the Wydad starters!

Al Ahly XI

This is the 11 men set to do battle for the Egyptian side in Casablanca tonight as they aim for a third successive CAF CL title.

Noise levels up to 11 at the Mohammed V Stadium

The huge army of WAC fans are making plenty of noise as they endeavour to be the 12th man tonight for the Moroccan side in their bid to secure a third African Champions League title.

WAC coach Walid Regraui: “We are ready to play anywhere"

Wydad coach Walid Regraui makes light of the edge that playing at home might give them, saying, “We are ready to play anywhere. CAF decided to play the final in Morocco and we should respect their decision. It is not important for us where the final will take place. We are ready to play in Dakar, in Istanbul or in any other place. We earned four away wins in this edition and we are ready to grab a fifth.”

FC Barcelona winger Dembele in Casablanca for the final

The FC Barcelona and France player is in the VIP sector at Casablanca's Mohamed V stadium for the 2022 CAF Champions League as Al Ahly face Wydad Casablanca.

'We will fight to win the Champions League' (Pitso)

"We will fight to win the Champions League. We played in the absence of important international players before under great pressure, and we are used to it," said Ahly's South African coach Pitso Mosimane, who will become the second manager to win the trophy four times if successful on Monday.

Wydad fans in fine voice

A partisan and rowdy home crowd in Casablanca tonight could swing things Wydad's way as Al Ahly have battled their way through to the final despite a taxing playing schedule, multiple injuries to key players and tired-looking performances.

Last one off CAF CL final?

CAF introduced the concept of a single final three years ago but reports suggest that the African governing body are likely next season to revert back to the traditional two-legged, home and away decider.

Casablanca stage is set....

Tonight's venue of Casablanca's Mohamed V Stadium, has been something of a controversial choice of venue by the Confederation of African Football, who only announced the Moroccan city would host the one-off game on May 9.

Al Ahly were unhappy with the decision and failed earlier this week in a bid to have the match postponed and moved to a neutral territory with an appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport turned down.

CAF said Morocco were the only country to bid for the right to host the final after Senegal withdrew their application.

Cairo based giants Al Ahly will be seeking to cement their place as the dominant force in club football on the continent when they meet Wydad Casablanca in tonight's African Champions League final.

The Egyptian club are on course for an unprecedented third successive Champions League triumph (following wins over city rivals Zamalek in 2020 and Kaizer Chiefs last year) achieving what no other side has done in a more than half century of the competition.

The action in Casablanca gets underway at 3:00 pm (ET) or 21:00 CEST.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2022 CAF Champions League final as Al Ahly face Wydad Casablanca at the Mohammed V stadium.