Wydad Casablanca defeated MC Alger 1-0 in the 2020-21 CAF Champions League quarter-final second-leg match at the Stade Mohamed V in Morocco to advance to the semifinals.

Wydad, just like Raja, progressed to the semifinals of an African club competition this season after defeating Algerian side MC Alger 2-1 on aggregate.

Raja Casablanca had earlier trounced South Africa’s Orlando Pirates in the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal by winning 5-1 on aggregate and Wydad have now set up a semifinal tie in Africa’s premier club competition against another South African club – CAF Champions League debutants – Kaizer Chiefs.

The Red Castle began the game brightly and they applied some pressure on the Dean, but the hosts were poor in applying the final touches.

Aymane Hassouni’s effort was well saved by MC Alger goalkeeper Ahmed Boutagga after the Wydad midfielder was allowed space and time to shoot.

 

 

Ayoub El Kaabi also had a golden chance to put Wydad in the lead, but the 27-year-old forward failed to hit the target when he should have at least, tested the keeper that saw the half end 0-0.

The Dean went all out in attacking after the break as they pushed forward in search of the opening goal.

Midfielders Mehdi Benaldjia and Abderrahmane Bourdim were brought on as substitutes in the 66th minute by Alger head coach Nabil Neghiz as the away side chased the game as they knew they had to score to have a chance of qualifying else they would have been knocked out anyway because of the away goals rule.

The Red Castle also did not back down as they made the most of their opportunity in the dying moments as they poured men forward in hopes of snatching a late winning goal.

They did just that in stoppage time to put the tie to bed as Walid El Karti scored in the 3rd minute of stoppage time to send Wydad through to the last four of Africa’s biggest club competition.

The Moroccans will definitely believe that they can win the competition now.