Wydad Casablanca, which managed to maintain its chances of retaining its Champions League title, by cornering Egyptian Al Ahly to a trap result (2-1) in the first leg, must, in the final return Sunday at the Mohammed sports complex V, to complete the work he started in Cairo, namely to turn the tide of a confrontation that almost slipped through his fingers.
Indeed, put in difficulty in the first leg, last Sunday, the Reds owe their salvation to Siff Eddine Bouhara, who reduced the gap 4 minutes from the end of regulation time of the match, plunging at the same time the Egyptians, players, staff, supporters and media alike, in manifest frustration.
This Egyptian reaction demonstrates the decisive impact that the mental factor can have on the outcome of this final and on this register, the balance leans rather on the side of the WAC. Indeed, Wydad arrives at this stage of the competition in the costume of the mysterious finalist, who has destroyed all the forecasts giving him the inability to go to the end of his defense of the title, disturbed by a waltz of coaches which constitutes , in normal times, the sign of a serious crisis in a team.
The semi-final against the South Africans of Mamelodi Sundowns, executioners of Al-Ahly in the group stage (5-2) and widely given favorites given their performances this season, remains the perfect illustration of this course Wydadi at the same time reassuring on the mental level and worrying at times on the tactical and technical levels.
Moreover, we saw how the Wydad players negotiated the rest of the first leg when they were down 2-0 in a stadium mostly won over to the cause of the Cairo club. We saw how they tried to develop their game and looked for a saving goal without falling into a rush or showing signs of despair. Another “ordinary” team would have let go or, at best, opted for a drastically defensive formula.
It is perhaps this expression of serenity on the faces of the Wydad players at a difficult moment in the meeting that worries their opponent, because it recalls their determination during their qualification obtained from the lair of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Thus an iron mind, the experience of the players and the personality of the champion constitute the weapons of Wydad in this final return. For the technicotactic aspects, there is work to be done, of course, but in the medium term. For next Sunday, we must close the gaps as well as possible to avoid mistakes on the first leg and opt for the most competitive elements from the start of the meeting.
This is the third face to face between WAC and Al-Ahly in the Champions League final after the 2017 and 2022 editions.
Wydad Casablanca will seek to win their second consecutive crown and the 4th in their history, after their title in 1992, at the expense of Al Hilal of Sudan, and 2017 and 2022 against Al-Ahly.
The Egyptians of Al-Ahly will be looking to win their eleventh trophy. The Egyptian team is the most successful in the competition.