2021 CAF Champions League final

2021 CAF Champions League Final
Event2020–21 CAF Champions League
Date17 July 2021 (2021-07-17)
VenueStade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco
Man of the MatchAmr El Solia
(Al Ahly)[1]
RefereePacifique Ndabihawenimana (Burundi)[2]
WeatherFair
25 °C (77 °F)
57% humidity[3]

The 2021 CAF Champions League Final was the final match of the 2020–21 CAF Champions League, the 57th season of Africa's premier club football tournament organised by CAF, and the 25th edition under the current CAF Champions League title. It was played at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, Morocco on 17 July 2021.[4]

Al Ahly defeated Kaizer Chiefs 3–0 to win a record-extending 10th CAF Champions League title.[5] They also earned the right to play against Raja Casablanca, the winners of the 2020–21 CAF Confederation Cup, in the 2021–22 CAF Super Cup. Al Ahly also qualified for the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup in United Arab Emirates, entering from the second round.[6][7]

Teams

In the following table, finals until 1996 were in the African Cup of Champions Club era, since 1997 were in the CAF Champions League era.

Team Zone Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Kaizer Chiefs COSAFA (Southern Africa) None
Al Ahly UNAF (North Africa) 13 (1982, 1983, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020)

Venue

For the second consecutive year, the final was played as a single match at a pre-selected venue by CAF instead of a two-legged fixtures format, which was being used in the competition since 1966.

On 16 May 2021, Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, Morocco was chosen by a CAF Executive Committee to host the final during a meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.[4]

Road to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Kaizer Chiefs Round Al Ahly
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Qualifying rounds Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
PWD Bamenda 1–0 1–0 (A) 0–0 (H) Preliminary round Bye
1º de Agosto 1–0 0–0 (H) 1–0 (A) First round AS SONIDEP 5–0 1–0 (A) 4–0 (H)
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Wydad AC 0–4 (A) Matchday 1 Al Merrikh 3–0 (H)
Horoya 0–0 (H) Matchday 2 Simba 0–1 (A)
Petro de Luanda 2–0 (H) Matchday 3 AS Vita Club 2–2 (H)
Petro de Luanda 0–0 (A) Matchday 4 AS Vita Club 3–0 (A)
Wydad AC 1–0 (H) Matchday 5 Al Merrikh 2–2 (A)
Horoya 2–2 (A) Matchday 6 Simba 1–0 (H)
Group C runners-up

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Wydad AC 6 13
2 Kaizer Chiefs 6 9
3 Horoya 6 9
4 Petro de Luanda 6 1
Source: Soccerway
Final standings Group A runners-up

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Simba 6 13
2 Al Ahly 6 11
3 AS Vita Club 6 7
4 Al Merrikh 6 2
Source: Soccerway
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Knockout stage Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Simba 4–3 4–0 (H) 0–3 (A) Quarter-finals Mamelodi Sundowns 3–1 2–0 (H) 1–1 (A)
Wydad AC 1–0 1–0 (A) 0–0 (H) Semi-finals Espérance de Tunis 4–0 1–0 (A) 3–0 (H)

Format

The final was played as a single match at a pre-selected venue, with the winner of semi-final 1 according to the knockout stage draw designated as the "home" team for administrative purposes. If scores were level after full time, extra time would not to be played and the winner would be decided by a penalty shoot-out (Regulations Article III. 28).[8]

Match

Details

Kaizer Chiefs 0–3 Al Ahly
Report
  • Sherif 53'
  • Magdy 64'
  • El Solia 74'
Referee: Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (Burundi)
Kaizer Chiefs
Al Ahly
GK 1 Daniel Akpeyi
RB 2 Ramahlwe Mphahlele
CB 3 Eric Mathoho
CB 4 Daniel Cardoso
LB 23 Reeve Frosler
RM 12 Njabulo Blom  59'
CM 14 Willard Katsande  76'
LM 25 Bernard Parker (c)  9'
RF 15 Nkosingiphile Ngcobo  46'
CF 9 Samir Nurković  90+2'
LF 19 Happy Mashiane  45+4'
Substitutes:
GK 26 Bruce Bvuma
DF 20 Yagan Sasman
DF 27 Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya
DF 30 Siyabonga Ngezana
MF 5 Teddy Akumu  59'
MF 22 Philani Zulu  76'
FW 7 Lazarous Kambole  90+2'
FW 8 Leonardo Castro
FW 11 Khama Billiat  46'
Manager:
Stuart Baxter
GK 1 Mohamed El Shenawy (c)
RB 25 Akram Tawfik
CB 3 Badr Benoun  80'  90'
CB 12 Ayman Ashraf  21'  46'
LB 21 Ali Maâloul
CM 17 Amr El Solia
CM 8 Hamdy Fathy
RW 14 Hussein El Shahat  90+2'
AM 19 Mohamed Magdy  90'
LW 27 Taher Mohamed  50'  67'
CF 10 Mohamed Sherif  90'
Substitutes:
GK 13 Ali Lotfi
DF 2 Mahmoud Wahid
DF 6 Yasser Ibrahim  46'
DF 30 Mohamed Hany
MF 15 Aliou Dieng  86'  67'
FW 7 Mahmoud Kahraba  90'
FW 9 Marwan Mohsen
FW 18 Salah Mohsen  90'
FW 28 Junior Ajayi  90'
Manager:
Pitso Mosimane

Man of the Match:
Mohamed Magdy
(Al Ahly)[1]

Assistant referees:[2]
Elvis Guy Noupue (Cameroon)
Dick Okello (Uganda)
Fourth official:[2]
Eric Otogo-Castane (Gabon)
Video assistant referee:[2]
Rédouane Jiyed (Morocco)
Assistant video assistant referees:[2]
Zakaria Brinsi (Morocco)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

Match rules[8]

  • 90 minutes.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores level.
  • Nine named substitutes, of which up to five may be used.[a]

Statistics

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Each team was only given three opportunities to make substitutions, excluding substitutions made at half-time.

References

  1. ^ a b TotalEnergies CAFCL - TotalEnergies CAFCC [@CAFCLCC] (17 July 2021). "Ahmed Zizo "Zizo" is your TotalEnergies Man of the Match for the 2nd #TotalEnergiesCAFCL final in a row!" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c d e "حكم نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. بوروندي يقود مباراة الأهلي وكايزر تشيفز" [CAF Champions League Final: Burundian referee to take charge of Zamalek's match against Kaizer Chiefs]. El Watan News (in Arabic). 2 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Weather History for Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco". Weather Underground. The Weather Company. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Casablanca to stage CAF Champions League final in July". eNCA. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Egypt's Al Ahly beat Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 to win record tenth African crown". BBC Sport. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Al Ahly down Kaizer Chiefs for 10th African Champions League title". ESPN. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Zamalek secure 'Al Sab3a' with victory over 10-man Chiefs". Cafonline.com. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b "CAF Champions League regulations" (PDF). CAF.
  9. ^ a b c "Team statistics". sofascore.com. SofaScore. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.