Zamalek survive Wydad fightback to join Mamelodi Sundowns in final

Zamalek will meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2016 African Champions League final

ZAMALEK of Egypt suffered a shock 5-2 defeat at Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on Saturday, but still qualified to meet Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the 2016 African Champions League final.

 

Zamalek won the first leg of the semi-final 4-0 in Alexandria last weekend and squeezed through 6-5 on aggregate.

Wydad, who sacked coach John Toshack after the first leg defeat, were attempting to become the first club to wipe out a four-goal deficit in a Champions League semi-final.

The Moroccans came close, producing a dramatic comeback to leave Zamalek shaken.

Liberian William Jebor scored twice to help Wydad to a 3-1 half time lead, with Ismail El Haddad also scoring for the hosts. Basem Morsi scored Zamalek’s goal in the first-half.

A brace from Congolese Fabrice Ondama after the break extended the score to 5-1 for Wydad – putting the sides level on aggregate but with Wydad still needing one more to win the tie because of the away-goals rule.

With 10 minutes left, Zamalek had the final say.

They scored on the counter attack through Nigerian Stanley Ohawuchi to end the home hopes.

Wydad had appointed Sebastien Desabre as Toshack’s replacement on Monday, with the Frenchman coming close to engineering the biggest comeback in African club competition history.

Zamalek, who last won the competition 14 years ago, will now meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the two-legged final next month.

Sundowns will host the first leg on Friday 14 October, with Zamalek holding the second leg a week later.

Mamelodi Sundowns booked their place earlier on Saturday with a 2-0 home win over Zambia’s Zesco United to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

Sundowns and Zamalek also met in the group stage of the African Champions League this year with the South African club winning twice.

The Champions League winners will represent Africa at the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan in December. BBC.com