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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 November 1999 Issue No. 455 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 November 1999 Issue No. 455
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Books Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Close but no cigar
Morocco's Raja Casablanca squeezed into the African Champions League final after the North African giants drew 1-1 with Egyptian champions Ahli in Casablanca on Sunday. But a controversial incident might keep the result in limbo for at least a few days.Following the match, Ahli submitted a formal protest concerning an extra player on the field. The second half incident occurred when a Raja midfielder was carried out to the sidelines to receive treatment for an injury and was subsequently substituted. But the injured player was allowed to return to the pitch as the Algerian referee, Karim Daho, was apparently unaware that the substitute was already on the field. Thus, for roughly two minutes, Raja played with 12 players, a situation which resulted in Ahli petitioning the African Confederation which will investigate the matter. Should the confederation find fault with the refereeing, the result of the game could be nullified and the match replayed.
Ahli was Egypt's last hope to save its worn-out African reputation at the clubs' level after the two other representatives, Misri and Zamalek, failed to qualify for the final round of the Cup Winners Cup and the Confederation Cup respectively.
Raja's victory, if confirmed, would reinforce North African supremacy over Egyptian counterparts. Both Misri and Zamalek were knocked out by Tunisian teams.
With the draw, Ahli lost an opportunity to play in next January's first ever World Cup for clubs, to be played in Brazil. Either Raja or Esperance of Tunisia will be up against Corinthians of Brazil, Real Madrid of Spain and Al-Nasr of Saudi Arabia.
In addition, Ahli lost out on around $4 million -- $1.5 million if it had won the African championship and $2.5 million for qualifying for the World Cup. The Moroccans finished their six-match Group 1 programme with 11 points, one more than the Egyptians. Diminutive striker Reda Ereyahi put the local team ahead after 40 minutes when he ghosted past two defenders and blasted the ball in. Ahli's Mohamed Farouk levelled the score three minutes later with a fluke goal when an attempted clearance by a defender bounced off Farouk's stomach and trickled into the goalmouth.
The equaliser set up a thrilling second half. Ahli, seeking a fourth final appearance and revenge for a shock 1-0 home loss to Raja in September, pinned Raja inside its own half for long periods. But a Moroccan defence that entered the match having conceded just one goal in five matches held firm. The 1989 and 1997 champions will now face Esperance in a two-leg final. Raja will host the first encounter on either 27 or 28 November with the return match two weeks later. It will be their first meeting in the Pan-African club competition.
For Ahli, it was its second consecutive African cup disappointment, having been knocked out last year in a first round shocker by an Ethiopian upstart squad. Ahli's last African Champions title was captured back in 1987 when it defeated Hilal of Sudan 2-0 in Cairo Stadium.
A late first-half goal by Walid Azaiez from a penalty kick earned Esperance a 1-0 home victory over 1998 runner-up Dynamos of Zimbabwe and a top place in Group 2. Defending champions ASEC of Cote D'Ivoire finished second in the standings, five points behind, after being held 0-0 by Saint Louisienne in the Indian Ocean island of Reunion.
